DIARY 

OF 
HORATIO MOLLIS HUNNEWELL 

OF WELLESLEY, MASS. 



LIFE 

LETTERS AND DIARY 

OF 

HORATIO MOLLIS HUNNEWELL 

BORN JULY 27, 1810; DIED MAY 20, 1902 



WITH A SHORT HISTORY OF THE HUNNEWELL AND 

WELLES FAMILIES AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE 

WELLESLEY AND NATICK ESTATES 



BY HIS GRANDSON 

HOLLIS HORATIO HUNNEWELL 



VOL 11 



BOSTON 

PRIVATELY PRINTED 
MCMVI 






yof 



) C!^pies 



CONQHESSJ 

Receivwl 



HOV 



6 1906 



1 , C«»»rtf*>» t"*"' 



Copyrighted, 1906, by 

HOLUS H. HUNNEWELL 



jl II rights reserved 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Mr. and Mrs. Hunnewell, Mollis, Frank, John, and 

Walter 12 

The Souchard Cottage 22 

No. 130 Beacon Street 40 

Mrs. Francis Welles Hunnewell .......... 46 

The Upper and Lower Lodges 48 

Mrs. Mollis Hunnewell 52 

Mrs. Arthur Hunnewell 60 

Mrs. Walter Hunnewell 70 

Mrs. John Welles Hunnewell 74 

Robert Gould Shaw 84 

Francis Williams Sargent 120 

Mrs. Henry Sargent Hunnewell 140 

Mrs. Francis Welles Hunnewell 154 

The Pine Avenue 160 

Family Group 220 



DIARY 



1835 

Dec. 24. Married at Brent's (Consul), by Rev. Mr. 
Sprague of Albany. Went to St. Germain, where 
we remained till Dec. 27; lived with Mr. and Mrs. 
J. Welles, 5 Rue d'Alger, till Feb. 1 1, 1836, when 
we entered our apartments, Rue Notre Dame de 
Lorette, No. 16. 

1836 

Feb. 11. Victorine entered our service at 400 francs 

per annum and washing. 
Feb. 22. Joseph entered our service at 550 francs per 

annum. 
March 3 1 . Mr. and Mrs. John Welles, Susan and Jane 

[Welles], left Paris for Holland and England. 
April 8. Went to Havre with Isabella and Johnny 

[Smith], where we found Mrs. Charles Smith and 

B. P. Welles. Sully sailed April 12. 
April 18. Settled with Victorine and Joseph. 
Dec. Received intelligence of the birth of my little boy, 

Nov. 16, at two o'clock in the morning, named Hol- 

lis Hunnewell. 

1837 

June 14. Isabella, Totty [Hollis Hunnewell], and 
Charlotte Smith arrived at Havre in the Burgundy. 

3 



Aug. 10. Mr. [S.] Welles sailed in the Ville de Lyon, 
from Havre; Plymouth Aug. 15 and arrived in New 
York Sept. 15. 

Dec. 21. Paid off the Bank of France the balance of 
the loan of 2,375,000 francs. 

1838 

July 8. Mr. [S.] Welles, with Mrs. [Charles] Smith 
and Johnny [Smith], arrived at Bristol in Paris on 
July 11; the passage from New York per Great 
Western in twelve days and twenty-one hours. 

July 13. Moved into our new house. No. 11 Rue Pi- 
gale. 

Sept. 24. Mr. and Mrs. [S.] Welles returned from St. 

Martin d'Allois. 
Sept. 27. B. P. Welles left Suresnes for Havre and 

London. 

Oct. 3. Mr. and Mrs. [Benjamin] Wiggin left for Lon- 
don. 

Oct. 23. Mr. Welles left for London. 

Nov. 3. Saturday, at half-past five o'clock in the after- 
noon, was born our second child, Francis Welles 
Hunnewell. 

1839 

Feb. 9. Left for Marseilles. 

Feb. 24. Left Marseilles for Paris, and arrived on the 
morning of Feb. 27. 

May. Returned from France, and went to Winthrop 
Place. Passed the summer with John Welles and 
family at the hotel in Dedham. 

4 



1840 

May 30. John Welles Hunnewell born. 

1841 

Oct. 9. Susan, wife of Dr. Hunnewell, died in Wash- 
ington. 
Oct. 16. Went to Paris by Acadia, via Liverpool. 

[N.B. To settle Mr. S. Welles's estate.— Ed.] 
Dec. 21. Returned to Boston from Paris. 

1842 
April 9. Susan born, died in infancy. 

Aug. 11. Went to H. W. Sargent's, Wodenethe, via 
Springfield and Hudson. 

Aug. 21. Returned from Wodenethe via New York, 

New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield. 
Oct. 14. Returned to Boston from Natick. 



1843 

June 1. Slight frost last night. 

June 10. Moved up to Natick. 

Sept. Became interested in country life and com- 
menced making improvements. Moved old barn 
and shed, which stood by side of road, back about 
five hundred feet. Built an addition on west side 
of shed; a rustic fence of spruce poles by the side 
of the road. Laid out lawn on the north front of 
house and made the winding road around it to 

5 



house. Built an addition on north side of house 

used as a parlor. 
Sept. 12. Smart frost. 
Nov. 3. Moved to Boston. Length of residence, four 

months, twenty-three days. 

1844 

Jan. 28. Walter born in Boston. 

May 29. Moved up to Natick. 

Oct. 10. Planted three elm trees bought of Dix, East 
Needham, — one by Francis, called his tree, mea- 
suring seven feet high; one by John, called his tree, 
measuring six feet high; one by Walter, called his 
tree, measuring five feet high, — on west side of 
avenue from large entrance. 

Oct. 17. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
four months, eighteen days. 

Commenced the faced stone wall, beginning at 
large entrance gate in an easterly direction. Blasted 
stones from ledge by the pond. 

1845 
Feb. 19. Went to Savannah with Isabella. 
April 18. Returned from Savannah. 
April. Planted an elm tree, bought of Winship, by 

HoUis, called his tree, measuring eight feet high. 
June 5. Moved up to Natick. 

June 30. Cold storm ; frost last night killed heliotrope, 
etc. 

6 



Oct. 9. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 

four months, four days. 
Oct. 2 1 . Hollis went to Mr. Green's school. 
Dec. 1. Arthur born in Boston. 

1846 

Jan. 12. Left alone for Savannah and New Orleans. 

April 6. Returned from Savannah. 

June 9. Moved up to Natick. 

Aug. Built bath-house on pond. 

Dug a new well on south side of house, took great 
pains with the curbing, etc. Went about forty-two 
feet deep. Have depended on rain and pond water 
heretofore. 

Moved a second time the old barn a little further 
back, and built a new large one where the old one 
stood. 

Continued the stone wall down to the second large 
gate. 

Oct. Planted an elm tree raised by myself for Arthur, 
called his tree, measuring six feet high, and the boys 
planted an English oak imported by Wood, three 
feet high, for their little sister Susan who died. 
Walter and Arthur in setting out their trees used a 
teaspoon. The growth of these trees was much 
checked, as a consequence of making the road by 
the side of them; they were moved a little and their 
roots disturbed, a part of them twice. These trees 
were planted in a row on the west side of the avenue 
I made from the large entrance gate by the side of 
the new wall. 

7 



Oct. 9. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 

three months, twenty-nine days. 
Dec. Built an ice-house by pond. 



1847 

In the spring of 1847 transplanted most success- 
fully two large trees. One maple was taken up with 
a ball of frozen earth and put where the large wil- 
low tree was, on the northwest end of house. It 
measured twenty feet in height. The willow tree 
was partly blown down and the remainder cut down 
in consequence of our being troubled by the bugs 
on it, which crawled up on the side of the house. 
The other tree was an elm, eighteen feet in height 
and set out on the south side of the large entrance 
gate. [N.B. Elm moved to lawn.] 

May. Finished the stone wall down to Darling's line; 
it is very expensive. 

June 3. Moved up to Natick. 

Aug. 2. Went to Newport and remained one month. 

Aug. 20. I had budded some apple trees which I raised 
from seed in the old nursery by the side of the pond 
road. They were four years old and the total num- 
ber 533 trees. 

Oct. 1 . Mollis left Mr. Green's school. 

Oct. 21. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
four months, eighteen days. 

Oct. 22. Hollis commenced at Dr. Kraitser's school. 

Nov. I . Frank and John went to Mr. Green's school. 

8 



When we went to the Morrill place in 1840, the 
land was entirely run out, having been neglected 
for many years. There were about twenty old apple 
trees, most of which 1 had grafted, two or three pie- 
cherry trees, two poor peach trees in front of house, 
which composed all the fruit on the place. The 
only forest trees were an old willow on the north- 
west end of house, a buttonwood and elm on the 
northeast (cut down by F. W. Sargent), two Lom- 
bardy poplars and a buttonwood on the south by the 
side of the road. Until 1843 but little was done to 
improve the land, and only a few fruit trees planted 
in the garden near the house. In the autumn of that 
year I made the borders near the house, put out a 
good many flowers and shrubs and many fruit and 
forest trees; of the latter, those by the path along 
the road south from house, the mountain ash by the 
entrance of large gate, the white pines in the crotch 
formed by the division of the road leading to barn 
and house. In 1843 I imported some French pear 
trees on quince stock, and commenced in 1844 
planting trees by the new wall. 

In 1846 made the walk by the wall down to sec- 
ond large gate, and put out a great many forest 
trees on each side — mixed in peach trees among 
them. Also commenced the orchard between the 
walk and pond. In the autumn of 1846 made a 
road from back of barn to the pond where we send 
the horses to drink,' and planted a treble row of 
trees on each side. In the spring of 1847 com- 
menced putting a row of trees from second large 

^N.B. 1877. This ro.id now used by Walter. 

9 



gate by the side of wall down to Darling's line; 
also imported from England a large lot of seedling 
forest trees and shrubs and made a nursery of them. 
They consisted of 2060 trees [a list of which will 
be found under same date in the History of the 
Mansion House] . 

The following lived: 250 larches, 200 each of 
English elm and English oak, 100 each of maples, 
mountain ash, white ash, and linden, and a few of 
the following varieties: striped bark, Norway and 
cut-leaf maple, purple beech, variegated leaf oak, 
cedars of Lebanon, scarlet and white thorn, curled- 
leaf weeping-willow, English and Spanish broom, 
box trees, evergreen privet, Weymouth pine, silver 
fir, yew and laburnum. 
Fall. In the fall of 1847 completed the apple orchard 
between wall and the pond, by planting with much 
care about one hundred and fifty apple trees of my 
own growing and budding. They consist in part of 
Baldwins, golden pippin, Welles pippin. Porter, 
northern spy, twin apple, Williams favorite, Hub- 
bardson nonesuch, Pennock pippin, Harvey, and 
several kinds of sweeting. The holes were dug 
very large and the bottoms filled up with stones 
and peat-mud, and the trees set out in a com- 
post made of peat, loam, fine manure, sawdust, 
and leaves taken from the river. At same time 
planted several pear trees on pear stocks, such 
as seckels, St. Germain, winter Nelis, Lawrence, 
Winship's seedling, Bartlett, Louise Bonne de 
Jersey, Urbanists, Glou Morceau, Miriam, and 
Fulton. 

10 



Dec. There is on the place at this moment 1922 trees, 
all of which I planted, of the following descriptions: 

591 evergreens, mostly firs, white pines, and a 
few Norway spruces; 

637 forest trees of a great many kinds — among 
them spruces, maples, ashes, elms, horse- 
chestnuts, abies, mountain ash, ailanthus, 
larches, chestnuts (Spanish and Ameri- 
can), catalpas, magnolias, lindens, alders, 
butternuts, and acacias. 

290 peach trees. 

404 apples, pears, cherries, etc. 
1922. 

Independent of these, there are about 4000 seed- 
ling trees in the nurseries, some of which are of good 
size and will be large enough to plant out in one or 
two years. 

During the winter of 1847-48 I transplanted sev- 
eral very large trees by taking them up with large 
balls of frozen earth. They were set out on the 
north side of the road leading to the barn, and con- 
sisted of one white oak (died) , one black oak (died) , 
four chestnuts, three elms, four white pines, and 
down near the large gate by the road two large wal- 
nuts (both died). They appear to be nicely this 
summer (1848), and excite much wonder, some of 
them being about twenty-five feet high. 



11 



1848 

I also set out this spring two tulip trees and three 
paulownias, also some fifty white pines in different 
parts of the grounds. 

May 3 1 . Moved up to Natick. 

Aug. 23. Went to Catskill Mountains with J. T. W. S. 
[Sargent], Susan and Jane [Welles], Isabella, and 
Hollis. The latter wrote his name in the book at the 
falls. 

Sept. 3. Returned from Catskills. 

Sept. 11. Hollis commenced going to Mr. Tower's 
school. 

Oct. I have set out this autumn the following trees: 
six quince trees by the path which leads to the barn, 
four plum trees in different parts of garden, also 
different varieties of pear trees, thirty on quince 
stocks and thirty-nine on pear stocks. 

Walter's tree (planted Oct. 10, 1844) having died 
this summer, he set out a new tree of my own rais- 
ing of about the same size as the old one. 

I have also this fall made a walk down the steep 
bank, which leads to the pond by the ice-house, and 
set out some shrubs and abies trees, etc. 

Oct. 24. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
four months, twenty-four days. 

Nov. 20. Four inches of snow fell last night. 

1849 
Jan. 26. Hollis commenced going to Latin School. 
May 17. Moved up to Natick. 

12 



May. Planted this spring eight Bartletts, three winter 
Nelis pears on pear stock, about two hundred white 
pines, and transplanted during last winter some 
good-sized hemlocks. 

June. Ploughed up about ten acres of land opposite 
house (Sargent lot), it being the first time it was 
ploughed for a great many years. 

Made a bank wall on each side of main road near 
the swamp, and planted some white pines on the 
bank, which much improve its appearance. 

July 3. Isabella Pratt Hunnewell was born. 

Oct. 12. Little Isabella planted an elm tree in the row 
with her brothers. 

Oct. 15. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
four months, twenty-eight days. 



1850 

May 28. Moved up to Natick. 

May. Made a grass road from the main road to the 
pond, on our north line next to Darling's, and set 
out two rows of elms and pines of my own raising; 
called it "Sister's Road," also "Isabella Avenue." 
[N.B. Some of those trees are still there at this 
time, 1899.] 
Sept. Made a walk around the edge of the pond to 
Darling's line. 

Built a rustic bridge across a small pond in the 
woods near the large pond. (Afterwards filled up 
and planted with rhododendrons by Walter.) 
Built a boat-house — old one torn down. 
13 



Oct. 10. Frank and John went to New York in the 
Empire State, via Fall River, with Henry A. Un- 
derwood. 

Oct. 17. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
four months, nineteen days. 

1851 

Feb. Bought a strip of land of Darling containing 
about six acres, extending from the main road (on 
a line with my boundary on the swamp, on the east- 
erly side of main road) opposite the swamp over 
to the pond. 

April. Commenced building new house [Arthur Gil- 
man, architect] ; dug cellar, etc.; raised house about 
May 12. The stone for cellar came mostly from 
ledge at Hickox's on Charles River beyond the vil- 
lage. 

Commenced planting trees near new house, and 
made two avenues from the main road to same. 

May 20. Moved up to Natick. 

July 30. Jane Welles Hunnewell born. 

Oct. 10. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
four months, twenty days. 

1852 

April. Planted twenty-five pear, cherry, peach, and 

plum trees in our new garden. 
May. Built a Grapery, my first glass house. [For list 

of vines planted, see History of Greenhouses.] 
May 6. Moved up to Natick. 

14 



May 12. Commenced main avenue to house and 
planted several rows of pines, sugar maples on south 
side, and white maples, elms, Norway spruces, etc., 
on northerly side. 

July. Built new rustic arbor and summer-house near 
Italian garden. [H. H. Hunnewell, architect.] 

Aug. 26. Sowed grass-seed on both sides of road lead- 
ing from Entrance Avenue across to old cottage barn, 
by the row of white pines on westerly side. 

Oct. Planted ninety-four pear trees. 

Nov. 11. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
six months, fifteen days. 

Dec. 9. Went up to Natick and passed the day. It was 
so warm as to be uncomfortable to work; thermom- 
eter 63°. 

1853 

Feb. 1. Filled the ice-house with ice ten inches thick; 
the first and only ice we have had. 

March 28. Left for Washington. 

April 9. Returned from Washington; found the sea- 
son well advanced and rather late for transplanting. 

May 5. Moved up to Natick. 

May 7. Finished sodding terraces back of new house 
and commenced planting potatoes. 

July. According to the Traveller, June has been the 
driest month for the last twenty-nine years, only 
three tenths of an inch of rain having fallen, the 
average being 2.70 inches, or nine times as much. 

July 27. " Father's birthday," says Hollis, jr., by my 
side. 

15 



Aug. 3. Hollis left for Canada and New York. 
Aug. 5. Henry W. Sargent, wife, and two boys ar- 
rived, and left next day for Nahant. 
Aug. 10. Went to Nahant and passed a week with 

J. T. W. S. [Sargent]. 
Aug. 13. Thunder-storm and squall which broke the 

windmill. 
Aug. 31. Went to Cotuit and passed three days with 

Henry W. Sargent. 
Sept. 27. Went to Fishkill alone and passed three days 

with Henry W. Sargent. 
Oct. 30. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard passed the 

day here. 
Nov. 2. Planted trees in pasture opposite house. 
Nov. 10. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 

six months, five days. 
Nov. Built arbor and rustic seat near boundary line 

by Webber's. 
Dec. 6. Went to New York with Isabella. 

1854 

Feb. 9. Walter and Arthur went to board at Natick 
with Mr. Stone. 

March 14. Henry Sargent Hunnewell born. 

April 6. Fast-day. Went to Natick with Frank and 

John and Joe Barnard. Quite warm, and frost 

nearly out of ground. 

May. Put up steam-engine and built engine-house to 
pump water from pond, having been sorely troubled 
for a sufficient supply. 

16 



May 18. Moved up to Natick. 

May 20. Henry Sargent Hunnewell planted an elm 
tree in the middle of seven others planted by his 
brothers and sisters. 

May 25. Been busy the past week in setting out large 
white pines in woods by first entrance. 

May 28. Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.j Barnard 
passed the day with us. 

July 18. Mollis entered college. No conditions. 

Aug. Built lighthouse (where present boat-house is), 
and also steps down the bank from the summer- 
house. 

Aug. 6. Went down to Nahant Hotel, and returned on 
the twelfth. 

Aug. 16. Dry weather continues. Oh, dear me! 
Peaches in boxes all gone except on one tree; the 
Craw fords late. 

Aug. 24. Dry weather continues. The trees are los- 
ing their foliage — even the walnuts and chestnuts 
in the woods. 

Sept. 1. Hollis commenced studies at college. Rain 
at last! First since July 24. August the driest Au- 
gust since 1828, 't is said. The drought seems to 
have extended nearly over the whole country. 

Oct. 5. H. Inches, jr.. Miss Elizabeth Inches, Mrs. 
Martin Inches passed the day with us. 

Oct. 15. Have been setting out pines of late in the 
Evergreen Path. 

Oct. 19. Went to Yonkers, and returned on the twenty- 
first. 

17 



Oct. 29. Planted some silver maples and chestnuts in 

pasture opposite house. 
Nov. 3. Mr. J. P. Gushing and father called. 
Nov. 9. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 

five months, twenty-two days. 
Nov. 22. Put guano last week on the lawn. 



1855 

Feb. 7. This morning thermometer was 14° below zero 
at our dressing-room window (Boston). 

Feb. 19. Pond very high in consequence of late rains 
and melting of snow. 

Feb. 28. Measured the pond from our wharf across to 
Sargent's woods and found it to be fourteen hundred 
feet. 

March 17. Kate [Underwood] arrived from Yonkers. 

March 21. Commenced building gardener's house in 
pine woods near Grapery. [Architect, H. H. Hunne- 
well.] 

April 16. Went up to Natick for the day. Beautiful 
day; thermometer 65°. Transplanted a few trees, 
first this season. 

May 2. Passed the day at Natick with Frank. 

May 14. Moved up to Natick. Shad trees and mag- 
nolias in blossom. 

May 22. Put on the lawn five hundred pounds nitrate 
soda. 

May 25. Watered some of the dried spots in lawn with 
guano-water. 

18 



June 7. R. S. Fay passed the day with us. Put fuchsias 
on piazza. 

June 21. Mr. and Mrs. [R. C] Winthrop passed the 
day with us. 

June 24. Went to Cambridge with HoUis and the new 
horse, John Gilpin; stopped at Watertown. Rain 
on coming home. 

June 27. H. Inches, Miss C. Inches, Miss Brimmer, 
and Martin Brimmer passed the day with us. Quite 
warm. 

June 29. Mrs. Mary Ann Smith passed the day. First 
extremely hot day; thermometer 90°. 

July 9. C. M. Hovey came up this P.M. 

July Id. Henry W. Sargent came up in afternoon and 
passed next day with us. Very hot; thermometer 
90 and 92". 

July 26. It is impossible to conceive of the beauty of 
the lawn and the country generally. I never saw 
such a season. 

July 30. Mrs. [J. S.] Lovering passed the day with us. 

Aug. 27. Quite cool, east wind; wore greatcoat to Bos- 
ton. 

Aug. 28. Fine day, but cool. Went to Watertown in 
afternoon. 

Sept. 3. Made the vine border, north side, three feet 

wider. 
Sept. 6. Went to Dr. Morton's (Alderney) . 

Sept. P. Went to Watertown and Cambridge with 
Hollis. 

19 



Sept. 26. Mr. John Welles died this day, nine o'clock 

P.M. 
Oct. 2. Picked the large bunch of Syrian grapes, 

weight 3:] pounds. 
Oct. 6. Put out some white pines by first entrance 

gate. 
Oct. 8. Commenced building Peachery in northeast 

end of vegetable garden. [For list of vines, see 

History of Greenhouses.] 
Oct. 19. Dr. Walter Hunnewell died in Watertown. 
Oct. 21. Northeast storm. Father's funeral. Henry 

A. Underwood here. 
Oct. 27. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 

five months, thirteen days. 
Nov. 22. Went up to Natick; cold and windy. Lawn 

by oak tree quite green. Put guano on lawn a week 

ago. 

1856 

Jan. Have been at work on Italian garden for two or 
three years. 

Jan. 6. In the afternoon, northeast snow-storm, a regu- 
lar old-fashioned one, which continued all night; as 
much as eighteen inches snow, much drifted. 
Mr. [David] Lane dined with us to-day, Sunday. 

Jan. 16. Went up to Natick. Vines starting all over 
house. 

Jan. 22. Fine winter weather. Great quantity of snow 
on the ground, none having melted. Cradle-pits un- 
der the sleighing in the city not so pleasant. 

20 



Jan. 24 and Feb. 1. Went up to Natick with Mr. and 
Mrs. [J. E.] Souchard. Fine winter weather and 
sleighing continues excellent. 

Feb. 7. Took my cold. 

Feb. 16. A little snow in the morning. Mollis and B. 
[W.] Crowninshield up at Natick. 

Feb. 22. Boys went to Natick to fish. I went up with 
Mr. [J. E.] Souchard and placed stakes for house. 

March 3. Left for New York and Washington, and re- 
turned March 21 not much improved in health. 

March 18. Commenced digging cellar to Madame Sou- 
chard's cottage; work done by Robinson. 

March 24, 29, and April 7. Went up to Natick. 

April 8. Went up to Natick with Mr. [J. E.] Souchard; 
laid out avenue to the French cottage. Pond still 
ice-bound. 

April 10. Fast-day. Went up to Natick with Walter, 
Arthur, and little Isabella; fine day, though cooler 
and windy, ice beginning to break up a little on the 
pond. Started engine. 

April 14. Went up to Natick and found ice all gone 
from pond. 

April 17. Went up to Natick; began to transplant 
trees; frost out of ground. Mr. and Mrs. [J. E.] 
Souchard went up with me. 

April 19. Went up to Natick with Frederick [A.] Lov- 
ering; very pleasant. 

April 22. Went up to Natick in the afternoon, but it 
rained all the time. 

21 



April 23 and 25. Went up to Natick. Planted trees at 
Mr. [J. E.] Souchard's. 

May 1. Moved up to Natick. 

May 7. Planted silver firs and Pinus excelsa by en- 
trance gate. 

May 15. Turner and Harriet Sargent with us. 
May 23. Miss [Mary] Danforth came up yesterday. 
June 11. Mr. Jn. Lincoln came up. 
June 28. Henderson Inches and sister passed the day 
with us. 

July 3. Mrs. H. G. Otis dined with us. 
July 5. Exhibited nectarines at Horticultural Society. 
July 7. Colonel [Marshall P.] Wilder passed the after- 
noon with us. 

July 10. Mr. and Mrs. [Charles] Shimmin and [Mr.] 
Tom [Shimmin] passed the day with us. 

July 17. Frank and John entered college; no condi- 
tions. 

July 18. Mr. Smith, editor of Horticulturist, and Mr. 
[S. B.] Parsons of Flushing, visited us. 

July 27. Very hot indeed for several days past; ther- 
mometer 90° to 98°, with a peculiar, hazy atmo- 
sphere which has dried everything up and the lawn 
has turned completely brown. Sha'n't invite any 
more visitors to Natick for the present. 

Aug. 6. Left for Springfield, Trenton Falls, Niagara, 
and H. W. Sargent's, with mother, Hollis, Frank, 
and John. 

Aug. 20. Little Isabella returned from a visit of one 
week to Annah Lovering at Nahant. 

22 



1m 






i SOUCHARD COTTAGE 



^W 



Nov. 9. Susan and Jane [Welles] passing a few days 

with us. 
Nov. 15. Snow-storm yesterday, to-day snow all gone. 

Had a tramp through the woods with Hollis, John, 

and Isabella. 
Nov. 20. Mr. and Mrs. [J. E.] Souchard dined with us. 
Nov. 27. Thanksgiving day; very fine. Aunt Susan 

and Jane [Welles] passing a few days with us. 
Dec. 4. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 

seven months, three days. 
Dec. 18. Thermometer 4° below zero; coldest day in 

December since 1836. 



1857 

Jan. 18. Very cold last night; thermometer 8° below 
in the city; moderated in the afternoon and a furious 
snow-storm commenced and continued all night and 
part of next day. Railroads blocked for three days. 

Jan. 23. Thermometer at our window 16° below zero. 

Jan. 24. Thermometer at Jamaica Plain 26° below 
zero. 

Thermometer at Natick 23° below zero. Ther- 
mometer at Newton Centre 30° below zero. 

Jan. 25. Harbor frozen over. Went down to the Fort 
on the ice with Walter, Arthur, and Isabella. 

Jan. 27. Hollis left for New York and Washington; 
thermometer at zero. 

Jan. 30. Went up to Natick. 

Feb. 4. Harbor well cleared of ice. 

24 



Feb. 6 and 1 4. Went up to Natick. 

Feb. 18. Very warm again; thermometer 67^ The 

extraordinarily warm weather causes much remark. 

Went up to Natick, and found frost gone to the 

depth of six inches or more. Isabella took cold. 
Feb. 21. Mollis returned from his journey. 
Feb. 26, March 4 and 9. Went up to Natick. 
March 1 1 . Left for New York and Richmond with Isa- 
bella and Aunt Smith, and returned April 1 1. 
April 13. Went up to Natick. 
April 16. Went up to Natick with children; fast-day; 

quite pleasant. 
April 17. Have been busy for two weeks past making 

terrace by thatched-roof summer-house, — a great 

improvement. 
April 30. Moved up to Natick. 

Commenced last fall, and finished this last week, 

new terrace by the rustic arbor at the turn of the 

entrance avenue. 
May 1. Planted some new pines; yew hedge from 

England. 
May 4. Received to-day a variegated aloe, bought in 

Washington, eighteen years old. 
May 15. Planted clipped pines, etc., by new terrace. 
May 17. H. F. Durant passed the day with us. 
May 22. Finished planting Italian garden with clipped 

trees by new terrace. 
May 26. Miss [Mary] Danforth came up. 
May 27. Mr. and Mrs. [J. E.] Souchard moved up. 
June 2. Mowed lawn with Swift's lawn-mower. 

25 



June 6 and 7. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard, Sarah 
and Joe [Barnard], with us. 

June 23. Received the Horticultural Committee who 
came to visit our place, consisting of President [Jo- 
seph S.] Cabot, [F. A.] Walker, Colonel [M. P.] 
Wilder, Dr. [E.] Wight, Mr. [W. R.] Austin, Mr. 
[D. T.] Curtis, Lyman Winship, C. M. Hovey, J. 
Gardner, Mr. Shillaber, J. Stickney, Mr. F. Park- 
man. 

June 25. H. Inches and sister passed the day with us. 

June 30. Mr. Ogden of Chicago came up. 

July 3. Isabella's birthday. 

July 4. Very pleasant; put on summer pants first time. 

July 16. H. W. Sargent's gardener here. 

July 20. Mother went to Nahant. 

Aug. 5. Left with mother, Hollis, Frank, and John, 
Aunts Susan and Jane [Welles], for Lebanon, Cats- 
kill Mountains, and Lake George. 

Aug. 22. All returned from our excursion except Hol- 
lis, who remained at Lake George. 

Sept. 3. Went to Nahant, and passed four days very 
pleasantly. 

Sept. 14. Henry W. Sargent and wife came and made 
us a visit of three days. 

Sept. 30. Went over to Dedham; Norfolk Agricultural 
Fair. 

Oct. 11. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard passed Sun- 
day with us. 

Oct. 14. New York banks suspended specie payments 
yesterday and Boston banks to-day. Great excite- 

26 



ment in commercial world. Money has been in great 
demand for six \veei<s past at one per cent, to five per 
cent, a month, and property of all kinds very much 
depreciated and almost unsalable. 

Oct. 24. Charley Lovering came up and passed Sun- 
day. 

Nov. 21. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
six months, twenty-two days. 

Dec. 14. Boston banks resumed specie payments and 
money matters very quiet. 

1858 

Jan. 4. Went up to Natick. House caught fire yester- 
day in kitchen and narrowly escaped being entirely 
burned up. It occurred, probably, by carelessness 
with matches by the man who slept there. 

Jan. 13, 26, and March 26. Went up to Natick. 

March 30. Leave for New York to-day. 

April 8. Returned from New York, H. W. Sargent's, 
and Stockbridge. 

April 10 and 15. Went up to Natick on fifteenth, fast- 
day, with Walter, Arthur, Isabella, and Jenny. 

May. Made a new path from Entrance Avenue to Sis- 
ter's Road, which gives a view of the large oak and 
the woods on the other side of the pond. Planted 
purple beeches and variegated-leaved trees and called 
it " Purple Beech Path." It opens a view from the 
Entrance Avenue of the great oak and of Train Hill 
at a distance. 

May 3. Moved to Natick. 

27 



May 7. Planted some rhododendrons and purple 
beech, six Abies nordmanniana and six pinsapo 
pines received from England. 

May 15. Sent fuchsias, etc., to exhibition and took first 
prize. 

May 17. Planted Pinus excelsa and silver firs bottom 
of lawn, also nordmanniana, nobilis, and pinsapo 
firs. 

May 22. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard, George, and 
Inman [Barnard] came up and passed Sunday. 

May 27. Mr. and Mrs. [J. E.] Souchard moved up 
from Boston. 

June 2. Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Levering, with Charley, 
Annah [Lovering], Alice [Russell], Hortense and 
Teresa [Lovering], passed the day with us. 

June 4. Annah Lovering came and passed three days. 
Miss Mary Danforth came up. 

June 9. H. Inches passed the day with us. 

June 17. Susan and Jane [Welles] moved up. 

June 23. Jane and Eliza Underwood came. 

June 24. Dr. [R. C] Hooper came up. 

June 26. Hollis came home from college. 

July. Continued Purple Beech Path across entrance 
avenue in an easterly direction, intending to plant it 
with magnolias [Chinese]. 

July 7. Geo. Pratt here. 

July 17. Dr. [E.] Wight and F. [A.] Lovering here. 

July 19. Mr. Field, of Princeton, here. 

July 21. Winthrop Sargent here. 

July 30. Went over to Beverly shore and visited dif- 
ferent places with Henry W. Sargent. 

28 



Aug. 16. We have been at Nahant since July 22, and 

have had easterly winds and cool, wet weather all 

the time, and returned Sept. 3. 
Sept. Made a close white-pine path running southeast 

from the new terrace, intersecting the Purple Beech 

Path. 

Made a path from Evergreen Path to Hemlock, 

near the small gate, with steps and seat, and called 

it "Juniper Path." 
Sept. 6. H. W. Sargent here for four days past. 
Sept. 13. Mr. R. S. Fay and Mr. [W. W.] Corcoran 

[of Washington] here. 
Sept. 18. Busy moving white pines to Magnolia Path. 
Sept. 22. Mayor Lincoln [of Worcester] here. 
Sept. 24. Henry [A.] Underwood and wife here for 

three days. 
Sept. 26. Mr. Francis Boykett [of London, Eng.] here. 
Sept. 28 and 29. Agricultural Fair at Dedham. 
Oct. Continued White Pine Avenue from old barn 

across the field to Uncle Sargent's oak on Pond 

Road. It now measures as follows: 

804 feet from Pond Road to old barn and ave- 
nue that leads to pond by ice-house. 
536 feet from there to main avenue. 



Total 1,340 feet, length of Pine Avenue. 

903 feet from Second Avenue across the lawn 

to First Avenue. 

Total 2,243 feet, length of view from First Avenue 
across the lawn to Pond Road. 

Measured old oak tree by old barn on main road. 
[For particulars, see article on Trees.] 

29 



Oct. 3. Mr. and Mrs. [Henry] Abbott here. 

Oct. 5. Grading lawn near oak tree. 

Oct. 9. H. W. Sargent and wife here passing two days. 

Oct. 15. Mr. [E.S.] Rand here. 

Oct. 16. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard came up and 

passed Sunday. 
Oct. 1 7 and 1 8. Busy moving trees from near oak tree. 
Oct. 20. Dr. [Herman] Inches here. 
Oct. 29. Mr. Moore here taking views, also Whipple 

taking photographs. 
Nov. 8. At work extending new terrace. 
Nov. 12 and 13. Very cold, 18° to 20°; ground frozen 

quite hard. An iron pipe at the steam-engine burst. 

A fire ought to be made under the boiler when ther- 
mometer gets down to 25°. 
Nov. 22. Returned to Boston, 24 Mount Vernon Street. 

Length of residence, six months, nineteen days. 
Nov. 25. Thanksgiving day; all dined at Susan's 

[Welles]. 
Dec. 12 and 16. Went to Natick. On the twelfth I 

found the pond frozen over so as to bear. 



1859 
Jan. 3. Went to New York, and returned on the tenth. 
Feb. 15. Gave our ball. 
March 9, 14, and 24. Went up to Natick. 
April. Extended and enlarged the Italian garden ; made 
new terraces, built parapet wall on edge of lake 

30 



and ornamented it with balustrade, fences, vases, 

clipped trees, etc. 
April 7. Fast-day. Went up to Natick with Isabella, 

Jenny, and Henry. Sargent's woods on fire up to 

railroad. 
April 13. Went up to Natick. 
May 14. Moved to Natick. 
May 20. Been busy all the spring at work on Italian 

garden — a great job which, I am glad to say, is 

now completed. 
June 2. Allyne Otis dined with us. 
June 9. Hollis's friends to dine, very pleasant. 
June 13. J. M. Forbes here. 

June 16. Judge Thomas, brother, and Mr. Albert Fear- 
ing dined with us. 

June 19. Geo. Barnard passed the day here. 

June 30. J. J. Dixwell here. 

July 1 . Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Gardner called. 

July 7. Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Mason called. 

July 1 1. Went over to J. M. Forbes's, Milton. 

July 12. Dr. [Buckminster] Brown and daughters 
here. Very hot, 94\ 

July 13. Captain Funk and Aunt Smith here. 

July 1 4. W. Boot here, also Colonel [M. P.] Wilder and 
seven gentlemen from Philadelphia and St. Louis. 

July 16. Henry W. Sargent here. 

July 29. Mr. H. Inches and sisters, Mr. and Mrs. W. 
B. Inches, and Mr. and Mrs. Hasbrouck dined with 
us. C. M. Hovey came up. 

31 



Aug. 3. Leave this afternoon for Boston, and take the 
cars to-morrow morning for Ann Harbor and White 
Mountains, father and mother, Frank and John, 
Aunt Susan and Jane [Welles] . Hollis at Newport. 
Returned from our journey on the sixteenth. 

Aug. 24. Went down to Nahant to stay with Mr. [J. 
S.] Levering, and returned on the thirtieth. 

Sept. Built half-hardy greenhouse. 

Sept. 15. Left for New York with Hollis and Arthur, 
who sail in the steamer Arago on the seventeenth for 
France, and returned on the twenty-first. 

Sept. 28. Went to Dedham, Norfolk County Agricul- 
tural Society Exhibition. H. F. Durant made the 
address. 

Oct. Made a new path from Evergreen Path to Hem- 
lock Path, further south than the Juniper Path, and 
called it "Azalea Path." 

Oct. 2 and 16. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard passed 
the second and Sunday, the sixteenth, with us. 

Oct. 17. Busy taking in plants — century plants, arau- 
carias, etc. 

Isabella, Jenny, and Henry christened in the li- 
brary by the Rev. Mr. Babcock. 

Oct. 23. H. W. Sargent here. 

Oct. 26. Very cold to-day; thermometer 22°. Busy 
grading lawn, covering up rhododendrons and ten- 
der plants. 

Nov. 1. Jeanie Underwood here. 

Nov. 3. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, five 
months, twenty days. Built a palm-house just north 
of Grapery. 

32 



Nov. 16 and Dec. 2. Went up to Natick. 

Dec. 3. Weather changed last night; thermometer 30° 

— a difference of 35" in ten hours. 
Dec. 17. Went up to Natick. Pond frozen over. 

I860 

Jan. 18. 26, and Feb. 8. Went up to Natick. 

Feb. 24. Went up to Natick with Frank L. Lee. 

March 2, 14, 29, and April 2. Went up to Natick. 

April 5 and 12. Fast-day [5th]. Went up to Natick 
with Walter, Isabella, Jenny, and Henry. On the 
twelfth planted rhododendrons, etc., received from 
England. 

April 23. Put out aloes on terrace a little too early — a 
good deal injured. 

Spring. Purchased of A. D. Webber 1^ acres, extend- 
ing over eastern boundary one hundred and seventy- 
seven feet on main road and forty-five feet on pond. 

May 10. Moved up to Natick. 

May 16. Never saw it so dry this season of the year. 

May 27. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard here. 

The variegated aloes have been injured very much 
and the common ones slightly. The sun injures the 
new foliage a little. They ought to be taken out of 
the house about 10th to 15th of May, but kept under 
a shed for ten days or so before full exposure. 

May 28. Went to town. Corner-stone of new church 
on Arlington Street laid. 

June I I. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard, J. M. Forbes, 
and J. W. Brooks here. 

33 



June 12. Mr. and Mrs. [Francis] Crowninshield and 

daughters, and Mr. and Mrs. Abbott Lawrence, dined 

here. 
June 15. Mrs. J. L. Gardner and daughter called. 
June 18. The [J. S.] Loverings passed the day with 

us. 
June 22. Class-day. Went to Cambridge. Frank and 

John graduated. 
June 27. Mr. Henry Sheldon here. 
June 28. Mr. and Mrs. James [M.] Codman here. 
July 6. Very pleasant. H. Inches, Dr. I. Brimmer, 

[W. B.] Inches, wife, and sister, and the two Misses 

Inches passed the day with us. 
July 7. Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Fay, jr., here. 

July 8. Built arbor on terrace in Juniper Path. Had 

a plan of place made. 
July 9. H. F. Durant, wife, and mother, and the [J. 

E.] Souchards dined with us. 

July 18. Left for Wachusett Mountain, and returned 
on the twenty-first. 

July 26. Went down to Nahant, and returned on the 
twenty-eighth. 

Aug. 3. Norfolk County Agricultural Society Com- 
mittee made us a visit to-day. 

Sept. Built orchard-house at the end of Grapery. 

Sept. 3. Returned from Nahant, where we have been 
passing three weeks. Find everything green as in 
June. 

Sept. 5. H. W. Sargent here. 

34 



Sept. 7. Commenced building new house on Mill-dam, 
No. 130, at corner of Berkeley Street [George Snell, 
architect], a short time before the Southern Rebel- 
lion broke out. Suspended work when one story 
high, during latter part of the winter, and recom- 
menced in the spring of 1861; roofed it in during 
June, and continued the work during the following 
winter, and finished the same during the summer of 
1862. 

Sept. 9. H. W. Sargent and wife arrived from Europe 
yesterday. 

Sept. 15. J. T. W. Sargent and wife and W. W. Cor- 
coran of Washington here. 

Sept. 18. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Amory and daughters 
here. 

Oct. i . Have been busy lately rearranging and replant- 
ing our laurels and rhododendrons in masses. 

Oct. 13. Housed the araucarias, aloes, etc. 

Oct. 14. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard passed the 
day with us. 

Oct. 16. Commenced filling up inequalities in the 
lawn. 

Oct. 17. H. R. H. the Prince of Wales and Duke of 
Newcastle in Boston. 

Oct. 18. Went to ball at Academy of Music [now the 
Boston Theatre]. 

Oct. 25. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
five months, fifteen days. 

Nov. 4. HoIIis and Arthur arrived on the Europa. 

35 



1861 

March 11 and 21. Went up to Natick. On the elev- 
enth, ice had been gone from the pond a week. 

March 26. Left for New York and Philadelphia with 
Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard and returned April 10. 

April 13. News of the surrender of Fort Sumter re- 
ceived, causing much excitement. 

April 20. Most exciting times. War with South. 
Streets full of troops. Washington in danger. 
Property depreciated enormously. 

April 25. Moved up to Natick. 

May 15. Oak tree on lawn measured on this day by 
John Welles Hunnewell. [See article on Trees.] 

May 20. Put out aloes around the house and in Italian 
garden, also plants in tubs. 

May 27. Been busy of late thinning out lot bought of 
Webber and planting it with pines, spruces, etc. 
Son John cut down many pitch pines. 

June 3. Have been busy lately planting some of the 
new firs in the lot bought of Webber. They con- 
sist of four rows: on the south side by-path, Abies 
nobilis and cephalonica, and on the north side, Abies 
nordmanniana and Sibirica. Each tree twenty-five 
feet apart. Have christened it "Picea Avenue" or 
"Grandchildren's Avenue." (N.B. This path sub- 
sequently abandoned.) 

June 10. An enormous crop of hay — about ten tons. 

June 16. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard here. 

June 17. Mr. and Mrs. Ignatius Sargent here. Very 
busy haying. The Picea Avenue being planted with 

2>Q 



trees of slow growth and very small, some only two 
inches high, many years must elapse before they 
can attain any size, so it must be for the benefit of 
our grandchildren. 

July 8. Second Regiment left for the war, Colonel 

Gordon. 

July lo. Walter entered Harvard College. 

July 22. News of the defeat of the Northern Army at 
Manassas Gap Junction. Great excitement and dis- 
appointment. 

Aug. 12. Left for Boston and Nahant. 

Aug. 14. Returned to Natick, having abandoned our 
visit to Nahant after passing two days in Boston. 

Aug. 17. Left for Boston and Nahant again, returning 
on the twenty-fifth. 

Sept. 2. Miss Annah Lovering has been making us a 
very pleasant visit this last week. 

Sept. 10. Mr. [George] Snell and F. H. Jackson dined 
here. 

Sept. 22. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard passed the 
day with us. 

Sept. 25. Went to town and dined at the Revere House 
with Prince Napoleon. The dinner was given him 
by twenty-five gentlemen. Edward Everett pre- 
sided and made an address of welcome. 

Oct. 13. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard passed the 
day here. 

Oct. 16. H. W. Sargent and Frank came and passed 
twenty-four hours with us. 

37 



Oct. 30. Received intelligence of the departure from 
Hampton Roads yesterday of the great naval expe- 
dition for Port Royal. 

Nov. 12. C. M. Hovey here. 

Nov. 14. Returned to Boston. Length of residence, 
six months, twenty days. 

Nov. 23. Went up to Natick and settled with Tom and 
Robert and discharged them for season. 

Dec. 30. Banks suspended specie payments. 

1862 

Jan. 23 and Feb. 16. Went up to Natick; very pleasant 
days; about twelve to eighteen inches of snow on 
the ground. 

Feb. 23. The news received lately of the taking of 
Forts Henry and Donelson has caused great re- 
joicings, and it is now thought the days of Seces- 
sion are numbered and that the Rebellion will soon 
be crushed out. 

March 5, 1 7, and 26. Went up to Natick. 

April 3. Fast-day. Went up to Natick with Isabella, 
Jenny, and Henry, also H. W. Sargent. 

April 12 and 17. Went up to Natick. Ice broke up the 
sixteenth. 

April 28. Moved up to Natick. News of the surrender 
of New Orleans received. 

May 5. News received of the evacuation of Yorktown. 

May 8. Left for New York, and returned the sixteenth. 

May 1 1 . Went to Wodenethe and passed the day, Sun- 
day. News of surrender of Norfolk received. 

38 



May 10. Moved Italian pines to Italian garden, and 
several other clipped trees. 

May 23. Went to the city and passed two days. Moved 
furniture into new house, 130 Beacon Street. 

May 25. Slight frost last night. 

June 25. Aunt Smith [Mrs. Charles Smith] sailed for 
Liverpool with Mr. and Mrs. [John L.] Graves. 

June 28. Received intelligence from the Post Office 
Department, Washington, that they had granted the 
petition of the inhabitants of West Needham to 
change the name of the place to " Wellesley." This 
name has been chosen by the residents in compli- 
ment to the Welles family. 

July. Commenced building house on Mill-dam, No. 
146, for Misses Susan and Jane Welles. [N.B. 
Sold April, 1866, for $58,000; bought by H. S. 
Hunnewell in 1887. — Ed.] 

July 5. The news of the repulse of the Federal Army 
before Richmond this week was most unexpected, 
and has caused great disappointment. 

July 30. Left for New York; stayed there two days 
and then went to Newport, and returned Aug. 9. 

Aug. 24. Have been occupied the past week in increas- 
ing the size of the rhododendron bed in Evergreen 
Avenue, and in rearranging and separating the 
plants. 

Sept. 10. Have been busy in removing and increasing 
size of rhododendron bed south side of avenue be- 
fore reaching Italian garden. 

39 



Sept. 13. H. W. Sargent and son Winthrop passed 
Sunday with us. It is generally acknowledged to be 
the finest season we have had for years. 

Sept. 16. Horticultural Exhibition, Boston. Sent 
pampas-grass, which was much admired. 

Oct. 1 0. The weather has been extremely hot for three 
days past; thermometer 75° to 85°. 

Oct. 19. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard here. 

Oct. 20. Moved in aloes and tender plants. 

Nov. 2. Have cleared up a piece of ground this au- 
tumn in front of Italian garden, increased the rho- 
dodendron plantation which was on it, increased the 
margin by the avenue, made a winding path com- 
mencing opposite the old oak, going through it, and 
called it the "Variegated Path," and planted several 
new trees such as Picea Orientalis, Cupressus Law- 
soniana, Abies Sibirica, Pinus excelsa, Pinus Ben- 
thamiana, Pinus monticola, Pinus ponderosa, Picea 
excelsa compacta. 

(N.B. Oct., 1871. The variegated trees did not 
amount to much, and the borders being planted al- 
most entirely on both sides with rhododendrons, we 
now call this the " Rhododendron Walk.") 

Nov. 7. A severe snow-storm ; some four or five inches 
of snow accompanied by a strong northeast wind 
with rain and sleet during three or four days; the 
most severe weather experienced so early in the sea- 
son for a great many years. The children had a 
sleigh-ride on the lawn! During this memorable 
week, I have been suffering severely from an awful 
toothache and pain in my face. 

40 



Nov. 18. Moved to city, new house 130 Beacon Street. 
Length of residence, six months, twenty-one days. 

Dec. 8. Left for New York; quite cold, and returned 
on the thirteenth. 

Dec. 16. Went up to Natick. 

Dec. 25. Pleasant. Family dined with us, including 
H. W. Sargent, wife, and sons. Opened drawing- 
room for first time. 

1863 

Jan. Have been busy widening avenue, cutting down 
and grading knoll, and improving the lower entrance 
to place at Wellesley. 

Jan. 24. Returned from New York, where we have 
been passing ten days. 

Jan. 28 and Feb. 7. Went up to Natick. 

March 12. Gave a supper-party — about one hundred 
and fifty persons. 

March 28. Went up to Natick. 

April 2. Fast-day. Unpleasant weather; not well, and 
did not go up to Natick as usual. 

April 4. Went out [to Belmont] to see the [J. P.] 
Gushing and Pratt places with H. W. Sargent. 

April 6 and 10. Went up to Natick. Have been putting 
in some drains in border inside and outside Peachery. 

April 13. Left for New York, and returned the eigh- 
teenth. 

April 20, 22, and May 2. Went up to Natick. 

May 5. Went up to Natick with Mrs. H. W. Sargent. 

May 8. Moved up to Wellesley. 

41 



May 1 1. Very warm; thermometer 86°. 

May 29. Mr. and Mrs. N. Thayer and N. Berry with 
us. 

June 10. Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Tucker and Mrs. A. 
Tucker passed the day with us, also C. M. Hovey 
and C. O. Whitmore. 

June 20. Mr. and Miss Jeffries and Mrs. [J. S.] Lev- 
ering here, also Judge Washburn and Mayor Lin- 
coln of Worcester. 

June 25. G. Howland Shaw and Mr. [George] Dent 
[of London] here. 

June 30. Leave for New York this afternoon with Isa- 
bella (mother) and Isabella (daughter), the first 
journey of the latter, who is much interested on the 
occasion. The invasion of Pennsylvania by the 
Rebels is causing much excitement at the present 
moment. 

July 9. Returned from New York and Newport, not 
very well in health. 

July 18. Public attention entirely absorbed for several 
days past in the great riot which has been raging in 
New York in consequence of the drafting. Went 
down to Nahant to visit Mr. [J. S.] Levering. 

Aug. 20. Returned from Nahant, where we passed the 
last ten days with Dr. [Herman] Inches. 

Sept. 12. Have been clearing a piece of ground near 
first entrance gate, bought of Webber of scrub-oaks 
and bushes for a cottage lot for Frank. 

Sept. 20. Stormy weather for two days past, with a 
severe gale blowing off all the fruit and injuring 
badly the tulip tree by side of house. 

42 



Oct. 7. Mr. Henderson Inches making us a visit. 

Oct. 11. CD. Welles here. Built an addition of six- 
teen feet to half-hardy house and a cold pit thirty 
feet long. 

Oct. 15. Dr. [Herman] Inches here. 

Oct. 25. Have been making a plantation of azaleas 
and choice magnolias and forsythias opposite Ever- 
green Avenue, which I expect will be very ornamen- 
tal in a few years. Also have cleared up and 
trenched most of the land bought of Webber on east- 
ern boundary. 

Oct. 2S. Have finished off east end of Italian garden, 
extending it a little. 

Nov. 7. Have increased size of Italian garden by fin- 
ishing off and extending each end a little, the west 
end by steps, and planting more clipped trees I had 
been growing in nursery, some rhododendrons and 
kalmias near water, and thinning out woods: a 
great improvement. The arbor-vitse hedge each side 
of path leading to garden having become very orna- 
mental and the pear trees that were planted in the 
border beginning to conceal and must soon injure 
it, have removed most of these pear trees and planted 
them in the garden, intending to fill up the borders 
with roses. 

Nov. 1 3. Rode over to Weston as to a — d — s. 

Nov. 14 and 15. Immense flocks of geese passing 
within a few days, — as many as two hundred in a 
flock, — some lighting in the pond, causing much ex- 
citement and sport to the boys, but no success, I am 
sorry to say. 

43 



Nov. 18. Moved to city. Length of residence, six 

months, ten days. 
Nov. 23, 30, and Dec. 16, 31. Went up to Wellesley. 
Dec. 25. Xmas Day. All the family dined with us. 



1864 

Jan. 4. Left for New York to attend a meeting of Di- 
rectors of Illinois Central Railroad, and returned 
on the twelfth. 

Jan. 14. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 25. Frank left this morning for New York to sail 
from there on the twenty-seventh for Havana. 

Jan. 27. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent and 
Isabella, Jenny, and Henry. 

Jan. 31. Exhibited Lady Donner grapes at Horticul- 
tural Society. 

Feb. 8. Went to Sonrel's with Isabella, Jenny, and 
Henry, and had their photographs taken. 

Feb. 17. Very cold and a perfect hurricane. John 
went on board the Arabia in afternoon for Liverpool, 
but she did not sail until morning at seven o'clock. 

Feb. 10, 25, and March 14, 18. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 19. Henry gave his birthday party, and had a 
grand time. Frank returned from Havana, and 
arrived at nine o'clock in the evening, in the midst 
of the dancing. 

March 25 and April 4, 6. Went up to Wellesley on the 

fourth with H. W. Sargent. 
April 7. Fast-day. Remained at home. 

44 



\pril 16. Went up to Wcllesley with Isabella and 
Jenny. 

\pril 21,25, and 29. Went up to Wellesley and planted 
a few trees. 

Vlay 5. Moved up to Wellesley. 
Vlay 14. Busy transplanting. Moved out aloes, arau- 
carias, etc., in boxes. 

Vlay 20. Mr. and Mrs. Sewall Tappan came up and 
dined with us. 

Vlay 21. Put up a trellis at south end of garden and 
planted it with trees for the cordon system of train- 
ing. 

[une 4. Had the Agricultural Club here to-day to 
dine, with several invited guests — sixteen in all. 

[une 6. Great rhododendron week. Dr. [Herman] 
Inches came up. 

[une 8. Mr. [George] Dent made us a visit. 

lune 9. Rhododendrons in their glory. 

lune 24. Very much occupied in making preparations 
for our intended visit to Europe. 

June 25. Went to the city for the last time. 

June 26. Busy packing; very hot day. 

June 27. The whole family left for New York. 

luly 3. L. Tucker and [C. J.] Morse drove up to dine 
with Walter. 

July 4. The Abbotts and Geo. M. Perry lunched with 
me. 

Oct. 12. Geo. Barnard dined with me. The [J. S.] 
Loverings came up, Alice [Lovering], Mrs. Pres- 

45 



cott, Mrs. [J. S.] Lovering's sister, with them; 

lunched with me. 
Oct. 13. Frank's engagement announced. 
Nov. 14. Moved to city. Length of residence, six 

months, nine days. 



1865 

April 8. Walter sailed for Brazil with Professor A. 
Agassiz. 

May 6. Frank married in Philadelphia [to Miss Mar- 
garet Fassitt]. 

May 10. Frank and his wife sailed in the Africa. 

May 28. Mollis has the varioloid. 

May 31. Moved up to Wellesley. 

June 1. Fred Bradlee, wife, and little Joe came up. 

June 11. The Rosery looks magnificent; a great im- 
provement; adds greatly to the beauty of the place.^ 

Aug. 3. Father, mother, Isabella, Jenny, and Henry 
returned from Europe in the steamer Asia, after a 
passage of twelve days and an absence of one year 
and thirty-five days. Dick (the dog) we find young 
and active beyond our expectations. 

Sept. 2. Mrs. [J. S.] Lovering passed the day with us. 

Sept. 21. Frank and Maggie arrived in the Australa- 
sian at New York from Liverpool. Very rough pas- 
sage. Frank made his appearance on deck only 
three times. 

^ These entries from July 3, 1864, to June I 1, 1865, were written by 
his son Holiis during Mr. Hunnewell's absence abroad. 

46 



ept. 22. Frank and Maggie came to Wellesley and 
made us all very happy. 

ept. 28. New rowboat for the children.' 

let. Commenced building Lodge at upper entrance, 
called Tom Smith's [Gridley J. F. Bryant, archi- 
tect]. Put on an extension to greenhouse. Built 
new Peachery, north side garden, cordon system 
training. Laid foundation to new boat-house [Bry- 
ant, architect], and dug a ravine for a Rockery, etc., 
as a dividing line between Italian garden and forest; 
hope to make it one of the most interesting features 
of the place. Built rustic summer-house. 

let. 4. Dry weather continues and everything entirely 
parched up; never saw anything equal to it. Have 
been favored with a very pleasant visit this week 
from our fair cousin. Miss Lovering of Nahant. 

let. 9. Rain at last, but too late to do much good. 

let. 14. Much to Isabella's surprise, the fountain is 
all frozen. Ice quite thick. 

let. 22. Short-stop (Arthur) Hunnewell again cham- 
pion. Frank and Maggie getting ready to go to 
Pinckney Street. Talk of asking the Harvard nine 
to play on the lawn; Henry to be umpire with 
"Gat" Miller. 

)ct. 25. Frank and Maggie went to housekeeping at 
their house in Pinckney Street, No. 83. Everything 
works splendidly. - 

Jov. 30. Moved to the city (all the family). Length of 
residence, six months. 

' The entries from Sept. 21 to Sept. 28, 1865, are in J. ^X'. H.'s handwriting. 
• The entries Oct. 22 and Oct. 25, 1865, are in J. W. H.'s handwriting. 

47 



1866 
Jan. 8. Thermometer at Wellesley 20° below zero. 
Jan. 12. Went up to Wellesley. Pond only partly 

frozen over, notwithstanding severe cold. 
Jan. 18. Went up to Wellesley. 
Jan. 25. Went to New York with mother and passed 

a week. 
Feb. 22. Went up to Wellesley with Isabella and 

Jenny. Have been occupied this winter in carting 

stones for Rockery by pond and Italian garden. 
Feb. 28. Went up to Wellesley with Mr. Hurlburt of 

Cleveland. 

March 8. Walter arrived from Brazil in summer 

clothes and a white hat. 
March 16. Went up to Wellesley. Ice all gone from 

pond. 

March 19. Hollis left for New York to embark on the 
twenty-first on the Java. Robinson at work in new 
boat-house. 

March 29. Commenced digging cellar for brick lodge 
at lower entrance [Bryant, architect]. Commenced 
a very extensive Conservatory adjoining north side 
of house [Bryant, architect]. 

April 5. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley with Henry. 
April 10. Went up to Wellesley. Esmeralda presented 

us unexpectedly with a fine colt, called Duke, on the 

26th of March last. 
April 13, 19, and 24. Went up to Wellesley. Fuller 

laying cellar wall to lodge at lower gate. 
April 22. Thermometer 80°. 

48 



April 29. Went up to Wellesley with Isabella. Planted 
rhododendrons from Watcrer's hy oak tree and in 
Rockery and by the pond. Two Frenchmen at work 
on rustic bridge. 

May 19. Moved up to Wellesley after having been de- 
tained two days by stormy weather. 

May 26. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard and Mr. 
[J. S.] Lovering came up and played whist. 

May 27. Frank and Maggie with us. 

June 2. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard and Mr. and 
Mrs. [J. S.] Lovering passed the evening with us. 

June 4. Mr. and Mrs. Barnard detained here until 
to-day. Moved plants into Conservatory, though it 
is not quite finished. 

June 5. Agricultural Club dined with us; also F. Park- 
man. F.^Bowditch, W. Wetherell, C. M. Hovey. 

June 7. F. and H. Nugent and Dr. Curtis dined with 
us. W. Gray, jr., [E.] Cunningham, S. D. Warren, 
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Gardner here. 

June 9. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard and Mr. and 
Mrs. [J. S.] Lovering passed the evening with us. 

June 17. We have had a good many visitors the last 
ten days. 

July 19. Returned from Newport, where we passed 
ten days with Mr. and Mrs. T. Sargent. 'T is said 
July so far is the hottest we have had for forty years. 

July 27. Tremendous thunder-storm with a great 
quantity of rain which gullied avenue and paths 
badly. Lightning struck one of Mr. [S. R.] Pay- 
son's barns and several other places. 

49 



July 28. Walter came home on a visit from Kentucky. 

July 30. Intelligence received of the successful laying 
of the Atlantic cable. 

Aug. 16. Returned from a visit of a fortnight to the 
[J. S.] Loverings at Nahant. 

Aug. 28. Mr. [J. E.] Souchard taking photographs. 

Sept. 8. Henderson Inches and sister Charlotte passed 
the day with us. 

Sept. 1 1. Walter home from Kentucky. 

Sept. 23. [Sam] Russell 's here; also [W.J Homer, 
with Frank and Maggie. 

Sept. 26. Commenced improving piece of land bought 
last year of Darling for a Pinetum. Planted rho- 
dodendron maximums on terraces looking towards 
the main road. 

Oct. 8. Bigelow Lawrence, Mr. and Mrs. Abbott Law- 
rence, Turner and Harriet Sargent dined with us. 

Oct. 13. Isabella, Jenny, and Henry were upset in the 
carryall coming down Mr. Souchard's hill, causing 
us much alarm, but fortunately escaping without 
any injury. 

Oct. 27. Have been engaged laying drains in avenue 
and path at lower entrance gate. 

Oct. 30. Moved balustrade fence from third terrace to 
upper terrace, in view from house, thus increasing 
size of Italian garden materially. Building a new 
china-closet. 

Nov. 23. Hollis arrived from England in the Africa. 

Nov. 29. Aunt Susan and Jane [Welles] spending 
Thanksgiving with us. 

50 



Dec. 2. All hands at work in Pinetum. 
Dec. 10. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 
months, twenty-one days. 

1867 

Jan. 9. Went on to New York with mother, and stopped 
at the Brevoort. 

Jan. IS. Left New York. On our return home stopped 
at Springfield overnight and reached home next 
evening, having been detained by snow on the tracks 
from the tremendous snow-storm of the seventeenth. 

Jan. 21. Another severe snow-storm to-day, so the 
railroad, which had just got opened, is all blocked up 
again. More snow now on the ground than we have 
had for years. 

Feb. 6. Went up to Welleslcy; have been up only once 
this month. A great quantity of snow on ground 
still, and very difficult to get about. 

Feb. 14. Went up to Wellesley. Many things broken 
down by weight of snow last month. 

Feb. 26. Jenny's party. 

Feb. 28 and March 20, 29. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 9. Returned from New York, where we went 
to call on Miss Louisa Bronson, with whom we were 
delighted. 

April. Commenced last autumn and continued work 
this spring preparing, by thoroughly trenching and 
enriching, a piece of ground bought of Darling 
(third purchase) for a Pinetum. Hope to make it 
a very interesting feature of the place. It will be my 

51 



aim to plant in it every conifer, native and foreign, 
that will be found sufficiently hardy to thrive in our 
cold New England climate. Published in American 
Journal of Horticulture an article on the new coni- 
fers. Extended somewhat the Rockery in a west- 
erly direction. 

April 4. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley with Henry. 

April 8. Went up to Wellesley. Robinson at work 
adding dressing-room to nursery chamber over din- 
ing-room. 

April 26. Father, mother, aunts Susan and Jane 
[Welles], Frank and Maggie, Arthur, Isabella, and 
Jenny, with Charles and Annah Lovering, all left 
to-day for New York to attend Hollis's wedding on 
the thirtieth with Miss Louisa Bronson. Returned 
on the 4th of May, having had a very pleasant time 
and enjoyed ourselves much. 

May 6. Went up to Wellesley. 

May 16. Put in a flight of stone steps in front of 
house to descend to lawn; very handsome. Moved 
up to Wellesley. 

May 17. Busy transplanting evergreens into the Pine- 
tum. 

May 25. Mr. and Mrs. [J. S.] Lovering and Mr. [G. 
M.] Barnard passed the evening with us. 

June 5. Went up to Framingham to receive Hollis and 
his wife on their arrival from New York. 

June 13. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bradlee, Caspar Crown- 
inshield, etc., dined with us. 

June 17. Wicks Hunnewell paid us a visit and made 
us all very happy. Dick and Wicks are now de- 

52 



jS^S 







votedly attached to each other. [Wicks and Dick 

are two family dogs. — Ed.] 
lune 18. Turner and Mrs. Sargent, [Henderson] 

Inches, etc., dined with us. 
June 20. We all went to see the colt. Mother and 

Louisa were delighted with his cunning ways.' 
|uly 4. Mr. F. Bronson made us a visit of two days. 
July 17. Left for New London, where we stayed ten 

days, returning the twenty-seventh. 
\ug. 17. Returned from Nahant, where we passed a 

fortnight. 
Sept. 8. Have been moving some large white pines 

into Pinetum. 
Sept. 14. Sonrel and Mr. [J. E.] Souchard taking pho- 
tographs of house and Italian garden. 
Dct. 5. H. W. Sargent arrived and passed two days 

with us. 
Oct. 29. F. Boykett and daughter here. 
Nov. 10. Have built a Stumpery near Rockery. 
Nov. 12. Left with mother and Louisa for New York, 

and returned the nineteenth, stopping at H. W. Sar- 
gent's on the fifteenth for two days. 
Nov. 13. Annah Lovering and Isabella drove all about 

the place and up to the Kimball pasture in a sleigh. - 
Nov. 23. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 

months, seven days. 
Dec. 17. Isabella's ball on going into society. Had a 

large quantity of flowers from Wellesley, which were 

very much admired. 

'The entries June 17 and June 20, 1867, are in F. U'. H.'s handwriting. 
' This entr>' is in Hollis Hunnewcirs handwriting. 

53 



1868 

Jan. 3 and 31. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 1 0. Louisa presents us with a fine grandson ( Hol- 
lis Horatio Hunnewell). 

Feb. 12, 22, and March 5. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 18. Aunt Smith died. 

March 19. Went up to Wellesley. Evergreens very 
much injured by severe winter. European silver 
firs, Abies Nordmanniana, Plcea menziesia silchen- 
sis, and Lawson's cypress, as well as many rhodo- 
dendrons, very much injured. 

March 26, April 2 and 10. Went up to Wellesley. 

April. Commenced foundations for a new greenhouse 
of large size, stove-house, and Grapery near old 
Grapery. Had the mansion-house and Conserva- 
tory painted by Wheeler. 

April 1 5. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent. 

May 15. Moved up to Wellesley after having been de- 
layed by the bad weather over a week. 

May 21. The past winter has been very destructive 
to evergreen trees — the most so of any one I ever 
experienced. All this is very discouraging for my 
Pinetum, which I commenced planting last year. 
[For particulars, refer to article on Pinetum, under 
same date.] 

Junel. Walter shaved his mustache. Mother thought 
his face was swollen.' 

June 6. H. H. Hunnewell, jr., four months old, made 
his first visit to Wellesley this day, and in commem- 

^ This entry is in Walter Hunnewell's handwriting. 

54 



oration of same planted a tree on east side of house, 
the Retinoapora pi$ifera aurea; used a silver spoon 
and watered it with a glass of champagne. There 
were present at the ceremony father, mother, Hollis 
and Louisa, Frank and Maggie, Isabella and Jenny, 
Walter, Arthur and Henry, Uncle Lovering and 
Aunt Mary [Lovering]. 

June 7. Mother bets Walter one thousand dollars that 
Professor Benj. A. Gould, formerly of Albany, 
N. Y., and afterwards of Cambridge, is living. Wal- 
ter accepted, and it is understood that mother is to 
pay in cash immediately on proof being brought for- 
ward of the death of said Gould. Attest: H. H. 
Hunnewell. (N.B. Walter lost this bet, and re- 
fused to pay.)' 

Have been busy extending Italian garden in an 
easterly direction. 

June 9. Gave a dinner to Webster Bank Directors. 

June 16. [N. P.] Russell, Ogden Codman, and P. 
Perkins here. 

June 19. Class-day. Went to Cambridge. Arthur 
graduated. Passed most of last week in New York; 
went to attend a meeting of Illinois Central Direc- 
tors. 

July II and 12. Turner Sargent here. 

Aug. 1. Returned from a trip of two weeks and four 
days to Saratoga and Catskill Mountains. 

Aug. 18. Returned from Nahant, where we passed ten 
days with the [J. S.] Loverings. 

Aug. 20. G. Hammond here. 

' This entry is in Walter Hunnewell's handwriting. 

55 



Aug. 26. The place looks finely, and many visitors 
every day. 

Sept. 7. Mr. Bisert from Philadelphia here last week. 

Sept. 25. Busy trenching the north end of Pinetum and 
preparing for planting next spring. 

Oct. 9. Mr. S. H. Russell dined here day before yes- 
terday. 

Oct. 15. Mr. F. Boykett [of London] and daughter 
here. 

Oct. 16. Beautiful, warm day; never saw finer autumn 
foliage. 

Oct. 17. A great change in the weather! It com- 
menced raining at eight o'clock, soon turned into 
snow, which continued to fall, mixed with rain, for 
four hours; so the ground was covered with four 
inches. In the afternoon cleared off cold; thermom- 
eter 37°. 

Oct. 21. At work finishing terraces at the junction with 
the Pinetum. 

Oct. 25. Baby with us, Hollis and Louisa having gone 
to New York. 

Nov. Rebuilt wall and balustrade in Italian garden, 
moving it ten feet farther into the pond, widening 
the walk, and extended towards Pinetum eighty feet, 
connecting it with proposed Pinetum; this was com- 
menced in the spring and finished this autumn. 

Nov. 19. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 
months, four days. 

Dec. 1 2. Went up to Wellesley. 

56 



Dec. 15. Left for New York with mother, and returned 

the twenty-second. 
Dec. 25. Christmas dinner as usual. 



1869 

Jan. 14. Went up to Wellesley with Henry W. Sargent. 

Jan. 25. Frank Sargent's funeral. 

Jan. 26 and 28. Went up to Wellesley, with mother on 
the twenty-sixth. 

Feb. 10. Had some ferns, dracaenas, etc., brought down 
from Wellesley for the Wardian Case. 

Feb. 17 and 22. Went up to Wellesley, with H. W. 
Sargent on the seventeenth. 

March 10. Went up to Wellesley yesterday. Have 
been busy thinning out woods opposite house; left 
the largest white pines, which are very fine, also a 
few good oaks. 

March 12. Left for New York, Philadelphia, and 
Washington. 

March 27. Returned. Heard at Washington of the 
death of Madame de La Valette. 

March 29. Went up to Wellesley. 

April. Put new wide stone steps in about middle of 
balustrade in Italian garden to descend into pond. 

April 8. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley with mother 
Jenny, Henry, and Louisa. 

May 12. Very warm yesterday and to-day! thermom- 
eter 89^ Folks complaining of the heat; serves them 
right; ought to have gone to Wellesley last week. 

57 



May 20. Moved up to Wellesley. 

June 2. Had Mr. F. Bacon, F. [A.] Lovering, Jas. C. 
Davis, and J. lasigi to dine and play cards. 

June 6. Have been busy the past week putting out bed- 
ding plants. 

July 1. Judges Warren and Bigelow dined here. 

Aug. 1. Expect to go to Nahant to-morrow. 

Aug. 17. Returned from Nahant, where we have 
passed the last fortnight. 

Aug. 20. Jenny left for Greenfield. 

Aug. 30. Left for Greenfield and Wodenethe. 

Sept. 10. Returned from our journey. There was a 
severe storm on the eighth. There was a great gale 
of wind and many trees were blown over, but the 
storm was much more severe on the coast. 

Sept. 20. Arthur has introduced to us to-day a very 
charming person, with whom he is desperately in 
love, and to whom we all expect to be soon equally 
attached. 

Oct. Finished new road through Pinetum and con- 
nected it with Evergreen Path, and enlarged the rho- 
dodendron beds. 

Oct. 2. The place looks famously, and we have had 

a good many visitors here, among them Colonel 

[M. P.] Wilder and Professor Elliot, of Cleveland. 

Oct. 9. Hollis and Louisa and baby arrived. 

Oct. 20. Have been occupied thinning the Purple 
Beech Path and increasing size of azalea bed. 

Oct. 22. Hollis, Louisa, and baby left us this morning 
for New York, to sail in the Scotia on Nov. 3. 

58 



Nov. 6. Rebuilt old Peach-house; substituted a brick 

wall for the old fence in the rear, and made it two or 

three feet narrower and much higher. 

Have cut down some oak trees at west end of 

Italian garden, intending to fill up space between 

steps and Rockery with kalmias. 
Nov. 18. Thanksgiving day. All went to Boston and 

dined with Aunt Susan [Welles] ; returned in the 

evening, eleven o'clock train. 

Nov. 25. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 

months, five days. 
Nov. 29. Went up to Wellesley with mother; returned 

in buggy. Very pleasant day. 
Dec. 1. Went up to Wellesley. At work taking up 

stumps with machine. Cut down English oak. 
Dec. 8. Went up to Wellesley. Difficulty to get about 

in consequence of deep snow. 
Dec. 17. John returned from Europe this evening, af- 
ter an absence of nearly six years. 
Dec. 25. Christmas day. Very pleasant. Had our 

usual Christmas dinner: twenty-one in number. 
Dec. 26. This journal from Feb. 17, 1864, to Dec. 17, 

1869, read and approved by me on this day.' 
Dec. 29 and 31. Went up to Wellesley, with John on 

twenty-ninth. 

1870 
Jan. 2. Dr. Gannett preached a farewell sermon. 
Jan. 3. Went up to Wellesley. Thinning out Sargent 
wood lot. 

' This entry is in J. W. H.'s handwriting. 

59 



Jan. 17. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent. 

Jan 19. Moved into new office in Sears Building. 

Feb. 6. Prince Arthur [Duke of Connaught] in Bos- 
ton. 

March 2 and 15. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 3. Left for New York with mother and John, 
and returned the twelfth. 

March 19. Carried up to Wellesley two pairs of Eng- 
lish sparrows. 

March 24. Isabella's party. Jenny appeared en 
grande toilette, and looking very much like Isabella. 

March 31. Went up to Wellesley; carried up three 
more pairs of sparrows. 

April 3. Laid up with rheumatism. 

April 14. Robinson commenced work on addition to 
stable; a wing to be used as a carriage house. 

April 26. Went up to Wellesley. All the evergreens in 
fine order, not having suffered in the least the past 
winter. Most favorable winter we have had for 
years. 

Extended azalea bed. Received from Rollinson 
& Sons, and planted, some peach, nectarine, apricot, 
and plums, some in old Peachery and some by new 
fence. 

April 28. Went up to Wellesley with mother. 

May 4. Have been occupied the past week in moving 

the rhododendrons, kalmias, and azaleas. 
May 13. Moved up to Wellesley. 
May 30. Had Whist Club to dine: [J.] lasigi, [F.] 

Bacon, [P.] Grant, [J. C] Davis, [W.] Brewer, 

60 



s 



[N. P.] Russell, S. H. Russell, F. Bradlee, G. M. 
Dexter, R. M. Pratt. Have been putting out bed- 
ding stuff for ten days past. 

June 1. All went to the city for Arthur's wedding, 
which passed off very happily. 

June 5. Winthrop Sargent making us a visit. 

June 25 and 26. Very hot; 90° to 92". 

June 25th and 26th, instead of saying very hot, 
I should have said very cold. Frank bet that June 
was an unusually warm month, but he paid up his 
twenty dollars, much to my surprise, for I never pay 
my bets. I learned that from ma.' 

June 30. A tremendous rain-storm this P.M., with a 
great deal of hail in Boston and some other places. 

July 5. H. W. Sargent and wife here since the first. 

July 16. Received the news of war between France 
and Prussia. 

July 25. Isabella gone to Nahant — [S.] Russell's. 
Commenced digging cellar to new cottage [John H. 
Sturgis, architectj, opposite upper lodge, for the use 
of any of the members of our family who, it is hoped, 
may be tempted to occupy it. It was placed near 
the road, so that it should not be too far away from 
the Mansion House. It is built on land bought of 
Henry and Turner Sargent, inherited by them from 
their uncle Arnold Welles. 

Aug. 6. Left for Nahant, and returned the seventeenth. 

Aug. 25. The worst drought we have had for years. 

' This paragraph is in F. W. H.'s handwriting. 

61 



Sept. 1. Left for Saratoga Springs, returning the 

eighth. 
Sept. 17. After the most severe drought experienced 

since 1864, we have had an easterly storm, which 

amounted to nothing; only one ninth of an inch of 

rain. 
Sept. 20. Everything continuing to dry up. Had the 

rhododendrons watered to-day by Natick engine. 
Sept. 22. Mr. [William] Robinson, the author [N.B. 

editor of London Garden], here. Place looked 

dreadfully. 
Sept. 30. F. A. Lovering and daughter here. 
Oct. 1. Enlarged azalea bed. 
Oct. 16. Dr. [J. C] Warren, F. Lovering, N. Bowditch, 

Miss [Annah] Lovering, Miss [Nellie] Warren, and 

Miss [Alice] Bowditch dined here. 
Nov. 18. Put down over two thousand feet new gal- 

vanized-iron pipe and a new steam-pump; ran the 

pipe across the lawn to rhododendrons. 
Nov. 24. Went to Cousin Turner's [Sargent] Thanks- 
giving dinner, all but Isabella, who was not well, 

and returned in evening. 
Nov. 29. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 

months, sixteen days. 
Dec. 14. Ploughed several acres. 
Dec. 15. Frank's dog. Little Dick, died, and buried by 

Rockery. 

Dec. 27. Went up to Wellesley. 

Dec. 29. Great excitement at the failure of Oakes 
Ames. 

62 



1871 

Jan. 1. Aunt Susan [Welles] died this morning at 

32 Beacon Street, aged seventy-four years, nine 

months. 
Jan. 5. Aunt Susan's funeral. 
Feb. 1. News of surrender of Paris received two days 

ago. 
Feb. 8. Went up to Wellesley with mother. Began to 

lath cottage. 
Feb. 22. Went up to Wellesley with Jenny. 
March 3 and 18. Went up to Wellesley, with Sam. H. 

Russell on the eighteenth. 
March 23. Frank and Maggie left us to move into their 

new house [203 Beacon Street]. Frank very much 

excited. 
March 26. Drove to Quincy with mother in buggy. 
March 29 and April 5. Went up to Wellesley. 
April. Put in granite steps to replace wooden ones 

decayed in first three flights in Italian garden. 
April 6. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley with Isa- 
bella, Winthrop [Sargent], and Jessie Gordon. 
April 8. Very warm indeed; thermometer 75° and 84° ! 

Went up to Wellesley, and to drive in the P.M. with 

mother in buggy. Heat uncomfortable. 
April 16. Went to ride in buggy with mother to Med- 

ford. 
April 19. Went up to Wellesley in early train with 

Jenny. 
April 26. Drove up to Wellesley with mother and 

Jenny in our new carriage; very pleasant. 

63 



May 7. Arthur's little girl born this day at five P.M. 
[Isabella Hunnewell.] 

May 1 1. Moved up to Wellesley. Mother and I drove 
up in buggy. 

May 14. Drove down to Boston to see [J. S.] Lover- 
ings, who arrived from Europe yesterday at New 
York. 

May 21. Mr. and Mrs. [J.S.] Levering passed the day 
with us. 

May 23. Have been busy transplanting rhododendrons 
and putting out bedding plants for several days. 

May 25. Went to Boston. Cousin Turner's [Sargent] 
marriage to Miss [Amelia] Holmes. Cousin Henry 
W. Sargent and wife and Winthrop came up and 
passed four days with us. 

May 29. Went over to [E. S.] Rand's. 

May 30. Watered rhododendrons with new hose, 
which worked famously. 

June 3. Hollis arrived at Wellesley from Europe, hav- 
ing been absent since Nov. 3, 1869. 

June 5. Had Whist Club to dine: F. Bacon, P. Grant, 
N. Russell, [J.] lasigi, [W.] Homer, A. Robeson, 
Judge Warren. 

June 7. Had Agricultural Club at dinner: Colonel [M. 
P.] Wilder, J. Stickney, C. L. Flint, G. M. Dexter, 
C. O. Whitmore, Judge French, and C. M. Hovey. 

June 18. Frank and Maggie, Hollis and Louisa here. 

June 24. Annah Lovering and Miss Lizzie Perkins 
here. 

64 



July 1. Have been very much engaged and interested 
in finishing the cottage of late. 

July 1 1. Arthur and his wife and daughter moved up 
to-day (into the cottage). 

July 14. Having had no rain for some time, the lawn 
began to suffer somewhat, so we watered it to-day; 
also the rhododendrons; gave them each about forty 
thousand gallons. 

Aug. 2. Leave for Mount Desert: mother, Isabella, 
Jenny, and Aunt Jane [Welles]. 

Aug. 3. Henry left for Mount Desert. 

Aug. 19. Returned from our trip, which we enjoyed 
very much indeed. 

Sept. 4. C. S. Sargent and F. Parkman passed the day 
here. 

Sept. 7. Left for Saratoga, returning the fifteenth. 

Sept. 25. Mr. [E. S.] Rand and W. Gray, jr., here. 

Oct. 13. Born, a daughter to Hollis and Louisa [Char- 
lotte B. W. Hunnewell]. Miss Lovering, Miss J. 
Gordon, Dr. J. C. Warren, Mr. [L. S.] Tuckerman 
here. Mr. and Mrs. [E. D.] Boit, senior and junior, 
at Arthur's. 

Oct. 14. Moved in century plants, orange trees, and 
thus closing the season of '71 for outdoor decora- 
tions. 

Oct. 20. Mr. and Mrs. E. [D.] Boit, senior and junior, 
dined here. 

Oct. 21. Uncle J. S. Lovering here. 

Nov. 12. Put down some more galvanized pipe to Ital- 
ian garden and across avenue to azalea bed. 

65 



Nov. 23. Arthur and Jeanie moved to the city. 

Nov. 27. Children very much excited in favor of 
country life; have taken a great deal of exercise and 
aided me in covering up rhododendrons. 

Have been building a large cistern in front of the 
cottage; also put in foundations for an extension to 
the new greenhouse of sixty feet, with a pit fifty feet 
by ten feet wide, called Holly pit. 

Nov. 28. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 
months, seventeen days. Mother and I drove down 
in buggy. 

Nov. 30. Thanksgiving day. Went up to Wellesley 
with Isabella, Walter, and Hortense Lovering. 
Skated on the pond, a small portion near Pond Road 
being frozen over. Thermometer 4° above this A.M. 
Coldest weather, 't is said, that has been experienced 
for a great number of years in November. 

Dec. 5. Broke ground yesterday on the cellar of Ar- 
thur's cottage, near Oak Grove. 

Dec. 8. Grand Duke Alexis in Boston. 

Dec. 9. Went up to Wellesley in morning; to grand 
dinner at Revere House for the duke in the evening. 

Dec. 18. Left for New York and Philadelphia with 
mother, and returned on the twenty-third. 



1872 

Feb. 7. Hollis gave a grand ball. 
Feb. 16. Went to New York with Frank; Mrs. [E. L.] 
Winthrop's funeral. 

66 



Feb. 20. Went up to Wellesley with Jenny, H. W. 

Sargent, and C. S. Sargent. 
Feb. 22. Left for the South with mother, Isabella, 

Jenny, and Walter; the [A. A.] Lawrences joined us 

at Philadelphia. 
April 6. Returned from our trip to Florida, which we 

enjoyed very much. 

April 10. March has been a most disastrous month for 
evergreens. Nearly half our rhododendrons killed; 
some that had been out for ten and fifteen years; 
some ten feet high; also kalmias, hemlocks, etc. 

April 26. Coliseum (in Boston) blew down. 

May I. Went up to Wellesley. 

May 9. Born Jeanie, second child of Arthur and 
Jeanie. 

Moved up to Wellesley. Very busy taking up 
dead trees and shrubs. Never experienced such a 
winter. All the junipers, hollies, balsam firs, Abies 
pectinatas, a great many arbor-vitaes, and several 
clipped pines killed. 

June 5. Had C. S. Sargent, E. S. Rand, jr., W. Gray, 
jr., C. G. Lovering, and Tom Motley to dine, but it 
stormed so severely that they could not go out, to 
my great disappointment. 

June 10. Had Whist Club to dine: F. Bacon, J. Davis, 
F. Lovering, N. P. Russell, C. Homer, A. Robeson, 
HoIIis, and P. Grant; also Dr. A. Gray and R. M. 
Pratt. 

July 2. Winthrop Sargent here. 
July 22. N. P. Russell here. 

67 



July 23. Isabella went to Nahant. 

Aug. 12. Left for Saratoga, and returned from Sara- 
toga and Wodenethe on the twentieth. 

Aug. 31. Kyle and son arrived. 

Sept. 5. Hollis and Louisa arrived from Lenox. 

Sept. 7. Sent some Reines des Vergers peaches to ex- 
hibition, lOf inches in circumference. 

Sept. 18. Had young Horticultural Club to dine, with 
C. M. Hovey, G. M. Dexter, Dr. A. Gray. 

W. R. Smith, superintendent Botanic Gardens, 
Washington, here to-day. 

Oct. Put down new galvanized-iron pipe (two inches) 
from barn to greenhouse. Commenced an extension 
of forty-five feet to our old Peachery, to be used as 
an orchard-house; finished Nov. 17. 

Built also a new pit, for wintering plants, fifty 
feet long and ten feet wide, in yard by sheds. 

Oct. 9. Left for Lenox, — mother, Hollis, Isabella, and 
Jenny, — and returned on the twelfth. 

Oct. 18. Annah Lovering, Lizzie Perkins, Dr. J. C. 
Warren here. 

Oct. 23. C. S. Sargent here yesterday, and Hollis and 
Louisa here to-day. 

Nov. 5. [U. S.] Grant and [Henry] Wilson elected. 

Nov. 7. Arthur's little girl Jeanie christened. 

Nov. 10. Drove to Boston to see the great fire which 
broke out last night on Summer Street, destroying 
five of our stores and others, to the value of a hun- 
dred millions of dollars; the greatest calamity that 
ever occurred in Boston. 

68 



Nov. 26. Drove to Boston with mother. Moved to the 

city. Length of residence, six months, seventeen 

days. 
Nov. 28. Thanksgiving day. Frank, Maggie, and Ht- 

tle Mollis dined with us. 
Dec. 25. Christmas day. Intensely cold; thermometer 

8" below zero. 

Frank, Maggie, Arthur and Jeanie, Cousin H. W. 

Sargent and Caroline [Sargent], and Hollis dined 

with us. 



1873 

Jan. 2 and 6. Went up to Wellesley; went with H. W. 
Sargent on the sixth. 

Jan. 13. Jenny's grand ball; two hundred present. 

Jan. 30. Thermometer at Wellesley 16° below zero. 

Jan. 3 1 and Feb. 25. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 14. Walter engaged to Miss Jennie A. Peele. 

March 7. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. and C. S. 
Sargent. 

March 10. Left for Washington, and returned on the 
twenty-ninth. 

March 31 and April 3, 9, 11, 16, and 28. Went up to 
Wellesley; went with H. W. Sargent on the ninth. 

April. Made new (English) flower-garden south side 
of walk adjoining vegetable garden. (In the cen- 
tre of this garden formerly stood the circle of elms 
planted by the different children, with the one in the 
centre planted by H. S. Hunnewell.) 

69 



April 16. Put in granite steps to Italian garden in place 
of wooden ones. 

May 1 and 7. Went up to Wellesley, and planted out 
hollies from England and put up new English or- 
chard-house. 

May 10. Went yesterday to [C. M.] Hovey's, [S. R.] 
Payson's, Miss [Mary] Pratt's, and [Alvin] 
Adams's with H. W. and C. S. Sargent. 

May 1 1 . Winthrop Sargent's engagement announced. 

May 13. Commenced preparing rhododendron garden 
on Common. 

May 14. Went up to Wellesley. 

May 15. Walter married to Jennie Peele at Rev. R. 
Ellis's church. 

May 19. Moved to Wellesley. 

May 25. C. S. Sargent here examining rhododendrons. 

May 26. H. W. Sargent, Winthrop, mother, and Miss 
[Aimee] Rotch dined here. 

June 6. Rhododendron Exhibition opened this even- 
ing; a great success; five hundred persons present. 
Have been very busy preparing for it the last ten 
days, and moved a great many plants. 

June 8. Azaleas in bloom, making a magnificent show, 
excelling any previous year. 

June 12. Exhibition on the Common improving every 
day, and nearly all the plants in full bloom. Aza- 
leas there also beginning to come out. Number of 
visitors increasing daily, and have reached three 
thousand to-day. 

70 



M 



June 15. Rhododendrons in full bloom; very late sea- 
son. 

June 26. Exhibition closed to-day at half-past three 
o'clock. Commenced immediately to bring home 
plants. 

June 29. Have been very busy replanting rhododen- 
drons, and completed all yesterday afternoon. The 
Rhododendron Exhibition was visited by forty thou- 
sand persons, yielding fifteen hundred dollars profit, 
which I gave to Horticultural Society. 

June 30. Left with mother for New York and Sara- 
toga, where Isabella, Jenny, and Henry joined us, 
and returned home on July 8. 

July 17. C. S. Sargent and [Thomas] Motley here. 

Aug. 6. Went to Newport on a visit to Hollis and 
Louisa, and returned on the eleventh. 

Aug. 20. Went to Nahant and passed the day with the 
[A. A.] Lawrences. 

Aug. 25. Frank and Maggie left this morning to sail 
from Boston to-morrow, and we all feel very blue. 

Sept. Built a new cold pit forty-five feet wide and 
fifty-seven feet long. Discontinued gravel walk at 
north end of Elm Avenue and made a new path con- 
necting with Rhododendron Walk opposite Italian 
garden. 

Sept. 5. C. S. Sargent here. Heard of the Hecla's 
arrival with Frank at Liverpool. 

Sept. 10. Had Horticultural Club at dinner; also Dr. 
Hall, [Josiah] Hoopes, and [P. J.] Berckmans. 

71 



Sept. 1 1. Had the American Pomological delegates — 
two hundred and eighty — up here. Beautiful day, 
and the place never looked better. 

Sept. 21. Great panic in Wall Street. Failure of Jay 
Cooke. 

Sept. 28. The lovely weather continues, and much 
warmer. Thermometer 78° yesterday and 80° to- 
day. Jenny declares there never was anything equal 
to it in her experience. The banks suspended pay- 
ment of greenbacks yesterday. 

Oct. 3. Mr. and Mrs. [A. A.] Lawrence dined here. 

Oct. 14. Left for New York with mother, and returned 
on the eighteenth. 

Nov. Commenced trenching land west side of Rosery 
Walk for the purpose of making a small, choice, 
half-hardy rhododendron garden under canvas. 
N.B. Lattice substituted for canvas in 1898. 

Nov. 12. Have just got through putting into new pit 
rhododendrons, half-hardies. 

Nov. 16. The girls have gone out to take a sleigh-ride. 
Nov. 19. Born Julia, third child of Arthur and Jeanie: 

our fifth grandchild. Moved to the city. Length of 

residence, six months. 
Nov. 22 and 29. Went up to Wellesley. 
Nov. 25. Hollis and Louisa moved to the city. 

Nov. 27. Thanksgiving day. Hollis and Louisa and 
Aunt Jane [Welles] dined with us. 

Dec. 4, 17, and 31. Went up to Wellesley. 

Dec. 16. Went to Centennial Tea-party at Faneuil 
Hall with mother, Isabella, and Jenny. 

72 



Dec. 25. Christmas day. Wiiithrop and Aim6e [Sar- 
gent], Henry and Caroline [Sargent], Hollis and 
Arthur and Jeanie, Aunt Jane, Charley, Annah 
[Lovering], and the twins [Lovering] dined with 
us, — seventeen in all. 

1874 

Jan. 1 . Laid up with an attack of rheumatism in shoul- 
der, lasting eight days. 

Jan. 24 and Feb. 5. "Went up to Wellesley, with Jenny 
and Isabella on the twenty-fourth. 

Feb. 15. Sargent Bros, took possession of large store 
which we have been hard at work on for the past 
two months, hurrying up. [250-260 Devonshire 
Street.] 

Feb. 28 and March 6, 13, and 26. Went up to Welles- 
ley. 

March 20. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent, 
[F. L.] Lee, and S. H. Russell. 

March 27. Left for New York with mother and the 
girls. Found grass in squares quite green, though 
no sign of vegetation in Boston. Returned on 
April 3. 

April 8. Went up to Wellesley. Commenced moving 
plants to Conservatory. Trenching ground in square 
near stable for a few choice rhododendrons. 

April 14. John returned from France after an absence 
of four years. Sailed from Havre March 26 in the 
Europe, which sprang a leak and was abandoned in 
mid-ocean April 2; passengers all saved and taken 

73 



off by the steamer Greece, but all the luggage lost. 

We hope he will never go back again. 
April 22. Mollis, Louisa, little Mollis, and Charlotte 

sailed in the Russia for Liverpool. Finished trench- 
ing rhododendron garden. 
April 28. Went to Wellesley. Dined with mother at 

Mrs. S. V. R. Thayer's with C. S. Sargent and wife. 
May 1 and 5. Went up to Wellesley. 
May 13. Moved up to Wellesley. 
May 20. Very busy moving hardy rhododendrons into 

new garden. John seems to enjoy life at Wellesley; 

takes an early breakfast, walks down to depot, and 

rides on horseback in the afternoon. 
May 25. C. S. Sargent's wife passed the day with us. 
May 27. Completed planting rhododendrons in new 

garden. 

June 2. Put on canvas in rhododendron tent. 

June 6. C. Lovering and Jessie Gordon here. 

June 10. Our Rhododendron Festival a great success; 
weather very pleasant indeed; the place looked 
finely and everything went off famously, and our 
guests — two hundred and fifty — much gratified. 

June 13. Went over to [E. S.] Rand's to see his rho- 
dodendrons. Mortense and Teresa [Lovering] came 
to make us a little visit. 

June 15. Had the Agricultural Club at dinner: Colonel 
[M. P.] Wilder, C. O. Whitmore, A. D. Weld, C. L. 
Flint, Judge French, F. Bowditch, John Gardner, 
C. Newhall, J. Billings, F. M. Weld, with [Robert] 
Manning and Dr. [Alexander M.] Vinton. A very 

74 



pleasant day. Dr. A. Gray, C. S. Sargent, [Edward 
N.] Perkins, and several others came up in the after- 
noon. (N.B. Feb., 1898. All belonging to this 
club have been dead several years.) 

June 17. Cloudy, with showers. Had Horticultural 
Club at dinner: C. S. Sargent, F. Parkman, E. S. 
Rand, jr., C. G. Loring, Wm. Gray, jr., C. M. Hovey, 
Ogden Codman, S. R. Payson, and E. D. Boit. 

June 22. Took off canvas from tent. 

June 25. Drove over to Lincoln to see Ogden Cod- 
man's place. Sent in, yesterday and to-day, roses 
for Horticultural Show. 

June 26. Laurel looks very handsome on side hill in 
Pinetum. 

June 28. John down at [George Abbot] James's, Na- 
hant. 

June 29. Isabella and Jenny at Beverly. 

July 4. Cloudy, east wind; fine for celebration. 

July 9. Walter and Jennie Peele returned from Europe 
last evening, after an absence of more than a year. 

July 10. Went to C. S. Sargent's to dine. 

July 11. F. Bronson here. 

Aug. 3. Went down to Nahant to pass a week with 
Uncle [J. S.] Lovering, returning the tenth. 

Aug. 15. Went down to Mattapoisett, returning the 
eighteenth. 

Aug. 22. Oak tree on the lawn measured by John to- 
day. [See article on Trees under same date.] 

Aug. 24. John left us this morning for New York, to 
sail on the twenty-sixth, on the steamer Rhine, for 

75 



Havre, much to our regret. Why he prefers to live 
in a foreign country and separated from his family 
is more than we can comprehend. 

Aug. 26. Rennie, gardener to H. W. Sargent, here. 

Aug. 29. Horticultural Society garden committee here : 
H. W. Fuller, Colonel [M. P.] Wilder, [Robert] 
Manning, [J. C] Davis, etc. 

Aug. 30. Uncle [J. S.] Lovering and the twins [Lev- 
ering] and the Prescotts here. Drove them up to 
Framingham. 

Sept. 5. The twins [Lovering], [Francis] Shaw, and 
[F. R.] Sears [jr.], came up yesterday. Hortense 
[Lovering] came down first for breakfast. 

Sept. 6. Hortense [Lovering] played off the spider 
trick on mother, to her great alarm. 

Sept. 24. Daniel T. Curtis and H. W. Sargent here. 
We went over to Baker's; also to Durant's seminary 
[Wellesley College]. 

Sept. 30. Commenced excavating terrace at Walter's 
lot. 

Oct. 2. C. S. Sargent here, and I returned to Brook- 
line with him. Visited Forest Hill and [W.] Gray's. 

Oct. 5. Taking in half-hardies. 

Oct. 9. A good deal of company lately. Louis Curtis, 
Charley Lovering, Susie Lawrence, Clara Payson, 
Charlotte Guild among the visitors. 

Have commenced cutting down trees and clean- 
ing up the ground where Walter proposes to build. 
At work also on an extension of twenty-five feet in 
west end of old greenhouse, which is now about one 
hundred feet long. 

76 



Oct. 12. Louis Curtis and Susie Lawrence left us to- 
day, so we are all alone. Mr. and Mrs. [A. A.] Law- 
rence dined with us. 

Oct. 1 5. Arthur and Jeanie dined with us. 

Surprised to hear by a cable despatch that Frank 
and Maggie were to come home this autumn. 

Oct. 17. Went over to Arthur's to see his children, 
Isabella, Jeanie, and Julia, plant three maple trees, 
seedlings which came up on the place, about six feet 
high. The little girls were very much pleased, and 
Jeanie remained some time at work throwing the 
loam around her tree. 

Grandfather and grandmamma, with Arthur and 
Jeanie and Jenny W. Hunnewell, were present and 
assisted in planting the trees. 

Oct. 18. Drove over to West Dedham in afternoon. 

Oct. 20. Received a cable from Frank saying they 
sailed to-day in the Batavia from Liverpool. 

Oct. 26. A most glorious October day. Thermometer 
at two o'clock 70°. Oaks' and walnuts' foliage gor- 
geous. 

Oct. 27. Mrs. [Charles] Gordon and daughter here. 

Oct. 28. Winthrop Sargent dined here. 

Oct. 29. The Rev. J. F. W. Ware passed the day and 
dined with us. 

Nov. 2. Frank and Maggie arrived in New York on 
steamer Batavia. 

Nov. 4. Arthur left for Philadelphia to attend Mr. 
[Alfred] Fassitt's funeral. 

Nov. 6. Annah Lovering making us a little visit. 

77 



Nov. 7. N. Thayer, jr., here. 

Nov. 8. Pleasant Sunday. Went to walk with the 
young folks around the pond, and enjoyed it very 
much. 

Nov. 9. Cistern at cottage given out. 

Nov. 10. Frank arrived to-day from Europe, and we 
gave him a grand reception. All the family, father, 
mother, Isabella, Jenny, Arthur and Jeanie Boit with 
their three little girls, Henry, Jennie Peele (Walter 
not well), assembled in the hall, and with bells, 
trumpets, and other musical instruments gave him 
a noisy concert, which was followed by a lunch. 
On the table was a superb bouquet three feet high, 
and the hall was decorated with flags and banners, 
with mottoes in black and red paint of "Welcome 
Home," "The Day We Celebrate," "Our Darling 
Frank," etc., etc. 

Nov. 16. Had a nice tramp yesterday afternoon to 
Pegan Hill with Arthur, Jeanie, Frank, Henry, 
Walter, Isabella, Jenny, Abbott Lawrence, and W. 
Peele. 

Nov. 17. Moved out plants for the Conservatory. 
Moved yesterday araucarias and century plants into 
cellar; fear they may have been injured by the severe 
frost. 

The weather has been so dry that I watered some 
of the rhododendrons yesterday — the first time it 
ever occurred so late in the season. If the ground 
should freeze up in this state I fear we shall see a 
long list of disasters in the spring among our ever- ■ 
greens. 

78 



Nov. 19. Went last evening to hear Dr. Loring lec- 
ture. 

Nov. 20. Have got the loam mostly off from Walter's 
building lot, and have commenced the avenue. 

Nov. 22. Had a nice walk this afternoon up to Woods's 
with Arthur and Jeanie, Walter, Isabella, Jenny, 
Henry, and W. Peele. 

Moved hollies into pit yesterday. 

Nov. 25. Finished covering up rhododendrons. 
Trenched over a piece of ground near old Rockery 
for a retinospora garden. 

Nov. 26. Thanksgiving day. Cold in the morning, — 
thermometer 18° at seven o'clock, — but a most 
charming day. A clear sky without any wind, so 
it was quite warm walking. Went over to Baker's 
with Arthur and Jeanie, Walter and Jennie Peele; 
had a nice time. 

Had a Thanksgiving dinner. Arthur and Jeanie, 
Walter and Jennie Peele present, with the girls and 
Henry; nine in all. Played vingt-et-un in the even- 
ing, and were very happy. 

Nov. 28. Moved into town. Length of residence, six 
months, fourteen days. 

Dec. 2. Went up to Wellesley. Frank and Maggie ar- 
rived in the afternoon. 

Dec. 3. Arthur and Jeanie moved to town. 

Dec. 5. Walter and Jennie moved to town. 

Dec. 8. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Fuller. 
At work on cellar to Walter's cottage. 

Dec. 10. Went up to Wellesley with Arthur. 

79 



Dec. 12. Dined at Parker's; Agricultural Society. 

Dec. 14. Rainy day. Left for New York with mother, 
returning the nineteenth. 

Dec. 25. A splendid, bright, sunshiny day for Christ- 
mas. Had our usual Christmas dinner; present: 
Frank and Arthur, Walter and his wife, Uncle 
[J. S.] Lovering, Charley, Annah, Hortense and 
Teresa [Lovering], — fourteen in all. 

Dec. 26. Went up to Wellesley. 

1875 

Jan. 4. Left for New York with mother, Isabella, An- 
nah, Hortense, and Charley Lovering, and returned 
the twelfth. 

Jan. 13. Received few plants from Van Houtte. 

Jan. 15. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 18. Whist Club party. 

Jan. 20. Went up to Wellesley with Isabella, Jenny, 
Jeanie Boit, Annah Lovering, and Miss [Katharine] 
Newbold, who returned to Boston in Bailey's sleigh 
with four horses. 

Jan. 28. Went out to Dedham to dine at [E. S.] 
Rand's; Horticultural Club. 

Feb. 2 and 22. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 6. Went up to Wellesley. Harris [head gardener] 
sick abed with rheumatism. 

Dined at [Martin] Brimmer's yesterday. 

Feb. 16. Frank and Maggie left for New York and 
Florida. Annah's engagement to Dr. Tom B. Cur- 
tis announced. 

80 



Feb. 28. Most disagreeable day this winter; thermom- 
eter 10", blowing a hurricane. 

March 3. Isabella's second dancing party. 

March 5. Went up to Wellesley. Fifteen to twenty 
inches snow on ground. 

March 9. Left for Washington and Savannah with 
mother, Isabella, Jenny, and Helen Loring. 

April 3. Returned from our trip South, having had a 
very pleasant journey. Went to Washington, then 
through Richmond to Aiken, where we joined Frank 
and Maggie, remaining there four days. From there 
to Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington, 
Welden, and Portsmouth, taking the boat at the lat- 
ter place for Baltimore. 

April 8. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley. Pond very 
high; still frozen over. Most of the half-hardy rho- 
dodendrons' foliage injured. Fuller just commenced 
laying stone cellar to Walter's house. 

April 15. Went on to New York to attend a Michigan 
Central meeting, and returned the sixteenth. 

April 17. Went to Providence; Mrs. [Joseph H.] Pat- 
ten's funeral. 

April 19. Lexington Centennial. Went with H. W. 
Sargent to [S. R.] Payson's and [Miss M.] Pratt's. 

April 21. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent 

and Charlie S. Sargent. 
April 23 and 30. Went up to Wellesley. Began to 

transplant half-hardies and heat Conservatory. 
May 5. Went up to Wellesley with mother. At work 

on retinospora garden near old Rockery. 

81 



May 6. Went up to Wellesley. Arthur and Jeanie 
moved up to Wellesley. 

May 8. Went up to Wellesley and lunched with Ar- 
thur. Had rather an exciting visit. Had hints 
given me of some interesting event likely to take 
place. 

May 9. Have been made very happy by Isabella's an- 
nouncement of her engagement to Robert Gould 
Shaw. 

May 10. Went up to Wellesley. First hot day this 
season; thermometer 75°. 

May 12. Isabella received her friends to-day. 

May 13. Moved up to Wellesley. 

May 21. Have just finished planting rhododendron 
garden and replacing plants that had got injured 
during the winter about the place. 

May 28. Putting out bedding stufT, which we have 
delayed, owing to illness of Harris. 

June 2. Put canvas on tent. 

June 6. The tent begins to make a show. 

June 10. Had (Horticultural) Club dinner: F. Park- 
man, C. S. Sargent, W. Gray, jr., Dr. Asa Gray, S. 
R. Payson, N. P. Russell, J. S. Lovering, Colonel 
[M. P.] Wilder, W. Boott, H. Inches, Dr. [C. C] 
Parry, Professor [George] Thurber, Frank L. Lee. 

June 12. A most splendid day. 

Had officers of Massachusetts Horticultural So- 
ciety up here, with others — about seventy-five in all. 
Everything went off very well and the place looked 
finely. 

Rhododendrons and azaleas in tent in full bloom. 
82 



June 17. Very fine day. Anniversary of the Battle 
of Bunker Hill. 

June 23. Mrs. [S. Parkman] Shaw and daughter here. 

June 27. Frank, Maggie, and Lina [Fassitt] here. 

J unc 30. Took off the canvas from tent. 

July 12. Isabella and Jenny down at Nahant. 

July 15. Henry returned from Saratoga, and ex- 
plained why Harvard got beaten at the great boat- 
race. 

July 27. Went down to Nahant on a visit to the [J. S.] 
Loverings, and returned the thirty-first. 

Aug. 9. Left for Saratoga with mother, remained there 
until the fourteenth, and went to Wodenethe, reach- 
ing home the sixteenth. 

Aug. 18. Arthur and Jeanie, with Henry, Isabella, and 
Jenny, started for White Mountains this morning, 
and returned on the twenty-eighth. 

Sept. 6. Hollis arrived to-day; Louisa and the children 
on the ninth. 

Sept. 13. Rain last night, but warmer; cleared off par- 
tially at twelve o'clock. Still cloudy and doubtful 
during the afternoon, but the moon shone bright 
in the evening, to our great joy. 

Very busy arranging plants in the hall and tent 
for the great event of to-morrow. 

Sept. 14. Isabella's wedding-day! Our dear daugh- 
ter Isabella was married this day at half-past two 
o'clock to Mr. R. G. Shaw by the Rev. J. F. W. 
Ware. The weather was charming; the services 
very impressive. Our friends, some three hundred 

83 



in number, were delighted, and everything passed 
off very happily. The ceremony took place in the 
hall, which was decorated with our choicest plants, 
and of our immediate family there were present: 
Aunt Jane [Welles], Hollis and Louisa, with their 
two children Hollis and Charlotte, Frank and 
Maggie, Walter and Jennie Peele, Arthur and Jeanie 
Boit with their three children, Isabella, Jeanie, and 
Julia, our daughter Jenny and son Henry. 

Sept. 15. Pleasant in the forenoon, but a heavy shower 
came up in the afternoon, and the Seminary girls 
who were walking through the place got well 
drenched. We invited them into the house, dried 
their clothes, and the boys did their best to comfort 
them in their disappointment. 

Sept. 16. Went to C. S. Sargent's, Brookline, and 
dined with Horticultural Club. 

Sept. 23. Have moved in palms, orange trees, etc. 

Sept. 25. Frank and Maggie sailed in Batavia. 

Oct. 3. Isabella took possession of cottage yesterday 
afternoon. We had it very prettily decorated with 
flowers and Chinese lanterns, and got up a little sur- 
prise party for the occasion, and had a very pleasant 
time. 

Oct. 5. Jeanie Bolt's birthday. 

Oct. 12. At work terracing and extending Pinetum in 
a southeast direction to azalea bed. 

Oct. 17. C. S. Sargent here. 

Oct. 23. Beautiful weather of late. Thermometer 68° 
to-day. Foliage splendid; never saw it finer. Dear 
Louisa by my side, as charming as ever. 

84 



1 




■ 




H 




^^Hv 


tIj^I 


1 




^r^ 




1 




Wfnf 


^1 


1 






1 


^ 




^^^^^v 




1 


^^^ 


^^B ^ - 


g^^ 


1 




1 


^^^^^^^^^22^»^H 



Oct. 30. Have removed plants from Conservatory. 

Nov. 8. A. Bailey [hotel-keeper, South NatickJ died 
night before last. 

Nov. 10. Sent ten rhododendrons to C. S. Sargent, 
and put into pit all our half-hardies. 

Nov. 1 1. Moved into pit English hollies to-day. Very 
busy covering up rhododendrons with leaves, etc. 
The plants are in a wonderfully fine condition — the 
foliage dark green and nearly every one covered with 
flower-buds. 

Nov. 17. Mary Peele Hunnewell born. 

Nov. 22. Walked over to Ridge Hill, returning by the 
way of the Loring place without the least fatigue, 
with Arthur, Jeanie, Bob and Isabella, and Jenny. 
Enjoyed it very much indeed. 

Nov. 25. Thanksgiving day. Beautiful autumn wea- 
ther. Thermometer 25° this morning, and pond 
skimmed over with ice. 

Hollis, Louisa, and children, with Arthur and 
Jeanie and Robert and Isabella, came up with Wal- 
ter and dined with us. All very happy. 

Nov. 26. Robert and Isabella moved to town. 

Enlarged rhododendron garden on easterly side 
by trenching a strip twenty feet wide next to spruce 
hedge, taking down a hickory and two maples. 

Nov. 27. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 
months, fourteen days. 

Nov. 29. [Vice President Henry] Wilson's funeral. 
Dec. 2. Arthur and Jeanie moved into town yesterday. 

85 



Dec. 6, 14, 21, and 31. Went up to Wellesley; on the 
fourteenth with mother, on the twenty-first with 
Walter. 

Dec. 13. Whist Club in evening. 

Dec. 23. Louisa returned from New York. 

Dec. 25. Had our Christmas dinner: Uncle [J. S.] 
Lovering, the twins [Lovering], Dr. and Mrs. 
[Tom B.] Curtis, Cousin H. W. Sargent and Caro- 
line, Winthrop and Aimee [Sargent], Walter and 
Jennie Peele, Hollis and Louisa, Jenny and Henry, 
Arthur and Robert, Charley [Lovering] and Aunt 
Jane [Welles] ; twenty-one in all present. 

Dec. 28. Arthur and Jeanie and children left for New- 
port. 

1876 

Jan. 1. Ice on pond partly melted and gone. 

Jan. 4. Went to Wellesley with Louisa and Hollis, Mr. 
[E. L.] Winthrop, Mrs. H. Curtis. 

Jan. 5. Went to Newport to pass the day with Mr. 
and Mrs. E. D. Boit; Arthur and Jeanie there; chil- 
dren got the chicken-pox. 

Jan. 8. Went up to Wellesley. Rhododendrons' foli- 
age looks like June. 

Jan. 16. Went to drive with Isabella in a buggy; very 
pleasant afternoon. 

Jan. 20 and 28. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. 
Sargent, and went alone on the twenty-eighth. 

Feb. 2. Cleared off colder, with a terrific west wind, 
so strong people could hardly get along and many 
were blown over in the streets. 

86 



Feb. 4. Elected Francis Jacques president Webster 
Bank to-day. 

Feb. 5, 12, and 22. Went up to Wellesley; on twelfth 
with C. S. Sargent, on twenty-second with Walter. 

Feb. (5. Went out to Brookline and called on C. S. Sar- 
gent. 

Feb. 7. Had Whist Club to dinner. 

Feb. 17. Jenny had a german; one hundred and sixty 
present, and everything went off very satisfactorily. 

Feb. 24. Mother, Isabella, Jenny, Louisa, Jennie Peele, 
and Jeanie Boit all made us a visit at the new office 
in Post-Office Square, which was very pleasant and 
gratifying. Showed them the safe-deposit vaults, 
and gave them a lunch in the new dining-rooms at 
the top of the Equitable Insurance Company Build- 
ing. 

Feb. 28. Received the news of the death of dear Maggie 
[at Nice]. 

March 2. Went up to Wellesley. Pond frozen over 
again. 

March 4, 7, and 22. Went up to Wellesley; with Ar- 
thur and Robert on the fourth, with Isabella and 
Louisa on the seventh, with Walter on the twenty- 
second. 

March 9. Arthur and Jeanie, Robert and Isabella, 
Jenny, and Jessie [Gordon] left for New York and 
Washington. I went on with them as far as East 
Brookfield. 

March 17. Centennial celebration of the evacuation of 
Boston. Went to hear Dr. Geo. E. Ellis's oration 
at Music Hall. 

87 



March 21. Arthur, Robert and Isabella, Jenny, and 
Jessie Gordon returned from their trip to Washing- 
ton yesterday. 

March 23. Left for Washington with Arthur, Jeanie, 
and mother. 

April 1. Returned from our visit South. Peach trees 

in Washington in bloom. 
April 2. Went out to C. S. Sargent's. 

April 6, 8, 12, and 21. Went up to Wellesley; on the 
twelfth went with F. Bacon. 

April 10. Had Whist Club. 

April 1 1 . Went out to [S. R.] Payson's and Miss [M.] 
Pratt's with Isabella, Jenny, and Jeanie Boit. Aza- 
leas, cinerarias, and calceolarias very handsome. 

April 13. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley with Rob- 
ert and Isabella, Geo. R. Shaw, Walter, Jenny Hun- 
newell, Winthrop and Aimee [Sargent], Louisa, 
Miss [C.] Woolsey, and little Hollis. 

April 14. Went to [C. M.] Hovey's, [S. R.] Payson's, 
and [Miss M.] Pratt's with H. W. and C. S. Sargent. 

April 15. H. W. Sargent and Caroline, with Winthrop 
and Aimee [Sargent], Bob and Isabella, dined with 
us. 

April 19. Have been putting out hollies and half- 
hardies. Commenced yesterday to make fires and 
put in plants into Conservatory. Water-works folks 
at work by the Winches. 

April 24. Went up to Wellesley with mother. 

Moved out araucarias from cellar. Put one in 
Pinetum and one in retinospora [Japanese] garden. 

88 



April 26. Went up to Wellesley. Began transplanting 
some rhododendrons in garden, where I am rear- 
ranging beds. Commenced the planting in single 
specimens and clumps of hardy rhododendrons. 

April 28. Went up to Wellesley. Planted three days 
ago a Magnolia Lenne on east side of front door in 
the city. (Died.) 

May 1. Moved up to Wellesley. Commenced taking 
out half-hardies from pit. 

May 2. Arthur and Jeanie moved up. 

May 3. At work moving kalmias from side hill in Pine- 
tum. 

May 7. Drove down to Boston, expecting Frank. 

May 10. Hollis and Louisa here. Frank arrived yes- 
terday. Great Centennial celebration in Philadel- 
phia. 

May 13. Hollis and Louisa and children came up and 
passed the day. 

May 15. Another dull, cloudy day. Jenny says there 
never was so much stormy weather in May before. 

May 17. Went to C. S. Sargent with mother, Jenny, and 
Jeanie Bolt to see his Azalea Show under canvas. 

May 18. Commenced work on echeveria bed. 

May 20 and 21. Pleasant. Anthony Waterer, the great 
rhododendron grower from England, here with C. 
S. Sargent. He was much pleased with the looks of 
our rhododendrons. 

May 22. Commenced putting out bedding stuff. 
May 24. Left for Centennial with mother, Jenny, 
Henry, Louisa, Edith and Alice Russell. 

89 



May 31. Returned, having had a very pleasant time 
and enjoyed ourselves much. 

Put canvas on tent. Made extension in a north- 
erly direction to rhododendron tent. First was 
thirty-two by seventy feet; second twenty-five by 
fifty feet. 

June 2. Put azaleas in tent. 

June 5. H. W. Sargent arrived in afternoon. 

Things looking finely after the rain. Azaleas 
still very handsome and much admired. Rhododen- 
drons almost in full bloom, those in garden earlier 
than anywhere else. 

June 6. Mr. and Mrs. F. Gordon Dexter, Mr. and Mrs. 
G. B. Chase here. C. S. Sargent and wife dined 
with us. 

June 7. F. A. Lovering and daughters, S. H. Russell 
and Alice [Russell], dined with us. 

Junes. Mrs. R. C. Winthrop here. 

June 10. Nat Russell, Dr. A. Gray, Wm. Gray, H. 
Inches dined with us. Place looked finely. 

June 13. Had Trustees Massachusetts Society for Pro- 
moting Agriculture to dine. 

Dom Pedro, Emperor of Brazil, made us a visit 
and lunched with us. 

June 14. Had Massachusetts Humane Society to dine. 

June 20. Took off the canvas from tent. 

June 22. Went up to [Joe] Burnett's [Southboro'] 
to dine. 

July 1. Hollis here. 

90 



July 3. Left at eleven o'clock with mother on a visit 
to Hollis and Louisa at Newport; returned on the 
tenth. 

July 12. C. S. Sargent here with [Anthony] Waterer 
and daughter. Went over to Baker's, and had a 
warm time of it. 

July 19. Hot as blazes; thermometer 90° yesterday 
and to-day, and the whole family agree in calling 
this a very hot summer. 

July 23. Thermometer 58°, and Isabella has a fire. 

July 31. Henry left this morning to sail on the second 
from New York in the Bothnia. He goes to Paris to 
study architecture, and expects to be absent eighteen 
months. 

Aug. 9. Isabella confined this morning at a quarter to 
seven of a little girl. Our seventh grandchild. [Su- 
san Welles Shaw.] 

Aug. 19. Arthur and family went to Newport. 

Aug. 20. Have been at work on path by side of pond 
back of house. 

Aug. 22. Mother and I off for Saratoga Springs and 
Lake George. Returned on the twenty-ninth. 

Sept. 2. C. S. Sargent and wife here this afternoon. 
Sept. 8. At work widening path on edge of pond. 
Sept. 10. C. Lovering and Emily Sears here. 
Sept. 16. Flower-garden in its prime. 
Sept. 2 1 . Arthur and Jeanie and Jenny left for Fishkill. 
Sept. 23. Moving into orchard-houses azaleas, etc. 
Sept. 25. Moved in orange trees. 

91 



Sept. 26. Went up to Framingham Camp with Isa- 
bella. 

Oct. 7. Drove up to Framingham in afternoon for Ar- 
thur and Jeanie and Jenny, who were on their return 
from Fishkill and Centennial. 

Oct. 11. C. S. Sargent and Dr. [George] Engleman 
here; very much interested in Pinetum. 

Oct. 15. An inch of snow fell, to our great astonish- 
ment. The effect of the damp snow on the forest 
trees, the foliage of which has just turned, is very 
fine and remarkable, exciting much admiration. 

Oct. 28. Uncle [J. S.] Lovering came up and dined 
with us. 

Oct. 29. Pleasant autumn weather. Walked up Pe- 
gan Hill with Arthur and Jeanie, Dr. and Mrs. T. B. 
Curtis, Frank, Walter, Jenny H., Lina Fassitt, Edith 
and Alice Russell, L. Tuckerman; Robert and Isa- 
bella went part way. 

Nov. 2. Thermometer 75° on back piazza. 

Hortense and Teresa [Lovering] making us a 
visit, which we enjoy very much, for they are as 
pleasant and interesting as ever. Went over to 
Baker's with them and Louisa, who were much as- 
tonished at the wonderful grotto, etc. 

Nov. 5. Walked over to Ridge Hill with Arthur and 
Jeanie, Walter, D. Dwight, Mr. and Mrs. H. Curtis, 
Hollis, Louisa, and little Hollis, and Teresa Lover- 
ing. 

Nov. 7. Presidential election day, resulting in the tri- 
umph of the Democratic candidate and the election 
of Samuel J. Tilden as President of the United 

92 



States. While this is a disappointment to the Re- 
publican party and their ultra-radical leaders, it will 
be accepted by the more conservative portion of the 
community in the belief that wise and judicious 
counsels will prevail, and the government be relieved 
of the corrupt and dishonest men who have for sev- 
eral years past disgraced themselves, General 
Grant's administration, and the whole country. — A 
mistake, [R. B.] Hayes having been finally chosen 
President. 

Nov. 12. Took up hollies and half-hardies, and com- 
menced moving plants from Conservatory. 

Nov. 16. Aunt Jane [Welles] seriously ill. 

Nov. 18. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 
months, seventeen days. 

Trenched ground, prepared for replanting rhodo- 
dendrons and making a hardy-rhododendron garden 
opposite Italian garden. 

Cut down a row of Norway spruces on Entrance 
Avenue near Italian garden. 

Nov. 21. Rain, rain, rain all day long. 

Nov. 22. Rain, rain, rain, rain all day and night. 

Nov. 23. Arthur and Jeanie moved to town. 

Nov. 25. At last a beautiful day, mother and I went up 
to Wellesley. 

Nov. 30. Thanksgiving day. Went up to Wellesley 
in the morning. Hollis and Louisa, Arthur and 
Jeanie, and Frank dined with us; also Robert and 
Isabella. 

Dec. 6. Went up to Wellesley with Governor Gaston. 

93 



Dec. 1 5. Went up to Wellesley with mother and Frank ; 
lunched with Isabella. 

Dec. 18. A heavy snow-storm set in to-day, and to- 
wards night there was a heavy clap of thunder and 
lightning, which caused much astonishment. 

Dec. 19. A sad event occurred last night in the burning 
of Hollis's house, which took fire about one o'clock, 
consuming the attic and almost ruining the rest of 
the house and furniture with water. 

Dec. 25. Pleasant winter weather continues. Ther- 
mometer 10°. Had our usual Christmas dinner, 
which passed off very pleasantly. Present: Uncle 
[J. S.] Lovering, Charley [Lovering] and twins 
[Levering], Dr. and Mrs. Curtis, Walter and Jennie, 
Arthur and Jeanie, Hollis and Louisa, Jenny, Robert 
and Isabella, and Frank. 

Dec. 27. Went up to Wellesley. 



1877 

Jan. 2. Another old-fashioned snow-storm last night, 
and the streets blockaded to-day. 

Went up to Wellesley yesterday with Jenny, the 
twins [Lovering], Emily Sears, Lottie Gordon, and 
Helen Loring. They returned to Boston in Bailey's 
four-horse sleigh. Thermometer 10°. 

Jan. 10. Went up to Wellesley. Getting in ice, fifteen 
to eighteen inches thick. 

Jan. 13. Went up to Wellesley with little Hollis. Isa- 
bella had a sleighing-party. Charming day. 

94 



Jan. 18. Hollis, Louisa, and children left yesterday for 
New York. 

Jan. 31. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 9. Isabella and baby came to make us a visit. 

Feb. 1 1. Frank left this evening for New York, to sail 
in the Parthia. 

Feb. 1 5 and 2 1 . Went up to Wellesley ; on the fifteenth 
went with H. W. Sargent. 

Feb. 25. Cousin Turner Sargent died yesterday, aged 
sixty-three. 

March 6, 10, and 29. Went up to Wellesley; on the 
sixth went with C. S. Sargent. 

March 14. Mother and 1 both left for New York and 
Washington, and returned on the twenty-fourth. 

March 28. Hollis, Louisa, and children arrived from 
New York. 

March 3 1 . Went up to Wellesley with Mr. [ Walbridge 
A.] Field, lawyer, about the water-works. 

The winter has been pretty hard on rhododen- 
drons; the worst since 1872. A good many browned 
and killed back. Evergreens all right. None in- 
jured, but the foliage of the Picea grandis is a little 
browned. 

April 4. Went up to Wellesley with Hollis and Louisa. 

April 7. Went up to Wellesley by early train, and 
breakfasted with Isabella. 

Commenced work on hardy-rhododendron gar- 
den. 

April 8. Went out to C. S. Sargent's. 

95 



April 10, 14, and 23. Went up to Wellesley; on the 
fourteenth went with H. W. Sargent. 

April 11. Commenced putting in plants into Conser- 
vatory. 

April 19. Commenced planting out half-hardies. 

Have completed hardy-rhododendron garden ex- 
cept sodding. It will be very effective and a great 
improvement. 

April 24. Hollis, Louisa, and children moved up to 
Wellesley and took possession of Lake Waban cot- 
tage [Souchard cottage]. 

April 25. Went up to Wellesley; busy planting half- 
hardy rhododendron under tent. 

April 26. Moved up to Wellesley; also Arthur and 
Jeanie. 

May 5. Louisa had her first kettledrum this afternoon. 

May 6. Frank returned from Europe. 

May 13. Jenny's dinner-party. 

May 15. Teresa's [Lovering] engagement announced 
[to F. Merriam]. 

May 18. Planting echeveria bed. 

May 20. Wistaria in full blossom, and very handsome 
indeed. 

May 22. Violent hail and rain storm with heavy thun- 
der. Planted by little Susan Shaw a white spruce 
tree near the cottage. 

May 27. Put canvas on tent yesterday. 

June 1 and 2. Put out azaleas in tent. Put out palms 
and tree ferns in extension. The tent looking finely 
and much admired. 

96 



June 3. C. S. Sargent and wife here. 

June 5. Had President Eliot, W. Amory, Dr. [R. M.J 

Hodges, Admiral Stedman, F. Parkman, C. F. 

Adams, jr., etc., to dinner. 
June 6. Mrs. and Miss Brewer here. 
Sarah Peele Hunnewell born. 

June 7. Cloudy, with rain and mist all day. 

Invited about fifty gentlemen, but only about 
twenty came, in consequence of the unfavorable 
weather. 

Colonel [M. P.J Wilder and Mayor Prince [of 
BostonJ here. 

June 8. Had Humane Society and Whist Club to din- 
ner. Rhododendrons looked splendidly. The 
hardy garden a great success. 

June 1 6 and 20. Took off south and north parts of tent. 

June 24. Henry W. Sargent here. 

June 26. Walter's baby's funeral. [Sarah Peele Hun- 
newell.] 

July 2. Went down to Newport and made Hollis and 
Louisa a visit; returned on the ninth. 

July 11. Sir Joseph D. Hooker, of London, dined with 
us to-day with his two friends General and Mrs. 
Strachey, and C. S. Sargent. The place looked fine; 
the lawn like June. 

July 25. Great railroad strike all over the country, 
with riots, plunder, and incendiarism. 

July 26. Took up rhododendrons which had not blos- 
somed and soaked the balls through. (N.B. Use- 
less.) 

97 



July 31. Winthrop and Aimee Sargent here. 

Aug. 6. Left for Isle of Shoals; returned on the four- 
teenth, after a very pleasant visit. 

Aug. 19. Everything about the place looking nicely, 
and we all agree it is about the finest summer for 
horticultural matters that we have ever experienced. 

Aug. 24. Hortense, Teresa [Lovering], and Edith 
Russell here, visiting the camp at Framingham. 

Sept. 9. C. S. Sargent and wife here. 

Sept. 15. Isabella safely confined of a boy this day at 
twelve o'clock. [Robert G. Shaw, jr.] 

Sept. 19. Teresa Lovering's wedding-day. [To F. Mer- 
riam.] 

Sept. 23. Susie Lawrence here making us a visit. 

Sept. 27. Mr. and Mrs. [A. A.] Lawrence dined with 
us. 

Sept. 30. Moved in orange trees. 

Oct. 18. Governor Gardner and daughter dined with 
us. 

Oct. 26. Received one hundred seedling Azalea mollis 
from Van Houtte. 

Nov. 3. Water Board and Commissioners here. 

Nov. 9. October has been a very wet month, and thus 
far November the same, so the autumn is not con- 
sidered a very pleasant one by Jenny. 

Nov. 14. Mr. [S. R.] Payson here. 

Nov. 19. Commenced taking in half-hardy rhododen- 
drons. 

Little Julia's birthday, four years old. She 
had a reception and supper-party, at which all our 

98 



grandchildren were present: Isabella, Jeanie, Julia, 
Hollis, Charlotte, Mary, Susan, Bobby Shaw, and 
little Willie Patten; all very happy. 

Nov. 22. Moved to the city. Length of residence, six 
months, twenty-seven days. Mother and 1 drove 
down in the close carriage. 

Nov. 26. Isabella moved into town, and came to our 
house with the children. 

Built a cool greenhouse west of Peachery, in- 
tended for an Orangery. 

Dug up roses in walk leading to vegetable garden 
and planted later junipers. 

Nov. 29. Thanksgiving day. Rain. Hollis and Lou- 
isa came down from Wellesley to dine with us, with 
Arthur, Jeanie, and Frank. 

Dec. 1 5. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent. 

Dec. 16. Isabella moved into her new home, 151 Com- 
monwealth Avenue, yesterday afternoon. 

Dec. 25. On Christmas day we had Aunt Jane 
[Welles], Uncle [J. S.] Lovering, Charley and Hor- 
tense [Lovering], Dr. and Annah Curtis, F. Merriam 
and Teresa, Winthrop and Aimee [Sargent], Frank. 
Robert and Isabella, Hollis and Louisa, and Mr. 
[E. L.] Winthrop, Arthur, Jeanie, Jenny and Wal- 
ter; his wife not well; twenty-two in all. 

Dec. 28. The remarkably mild and pleasant weather 
has continued another week, and is the subject of 
general conversation. It is difficult to conceive of 
anything more charming. Went up to Wellesley 
to-day. 

99 



1878 

Jan. 10, Feb. 27, March 6 and 22. Went up to Welles- 
ley. 

Feb. 1. A foot and a half of snow. 

Feb. 12. Louisa had a coasting-party at Wellesley to- 
day. 

March 8. Mother and I left for New York and Wash- 
ington. Very warm in New York; thermometer 75°. 
Returned on the twenty-first. 

April 1 , 4, and 1 3. Went up to Wellesley ; on the fourth 
went with H. W. Sargent. 

April 11. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley; quite mild 
and springlike. Busy at work on azalea garden, and 
moved out azaleas from cellar. Moved out half- 
hardy rhododendrons, araucarias, etc. 

April 18 and 24. Went out to Wellesley. Moved 
plants into Conservatory on twenty-fourth. 

April 2 1 . The season is a week or ten days earlier than 
last year. 

April 25. Hollis, Walter, Arthur, and their families 
moved up to Wellesley to-day. 

April 30. Moved up to Wellesley. 

May 2 and 3. Busy planting half-hardies under tent. 

May 7. Finished planting half-hardy rhododendron 
garden. 

May 1 1. Louisa had a kettledrum this afternoon. 

Commenced planting echeveria bed. 
May 15. Put up tent in azalea garden. 
May 18. Putting out bedding stuff. 

100 



May 22. Jeanie Boit confined yesterday at half-past 
two P.M. of a little girl. [Margaret Fassitt Hunne- 
well.] 

May 25. Put canvas on rhododendron tent. 

May 26. Drove down to Brookline to see C. S. Sar- 
gent's azaleas. 

May 30. John arrived home on a visit. 

May 31. An easterly storm. Had Humane Society to 
dine; stopped raining in afternoon, fortunately, so 
we could walk out. 

June 2. Azaleas under tent make a great show and are 
much admired. 

June 3. Had about thirty Horticultural gentlemen up. 
H. W. Sargent arrived here, and left the sixth; 
came on to testify in our aqueduct case. 

J une 6. Had Whist Club to dine, with Mr. Wm. Amory 
and Mr. [J. A.] Burnham. 

June 7. Rhododendrons in their prime. 
June P. C. S. Sargent and wife here. 
June 10. Frank and mother think it the coldest season 
they ever experienced. 

June 16. Took off half of canvas from rhododendron 
tent yesterday. 

June 17. Removed some of the azaleas from tent, and 
took down the tent on the twenty-fourth. 

June 21. Drove down to Brookline to call on Mrs. 
[John L.] Gardner. 

June 29. Thermometer 85° to 90°. No more com- 
plaining about cold. 

101 



June 30. Isabella moved down to Nahant day before 
yesterday, just in time for the hot weather. John 
has disappeared with a handkerchief bound around 
his head. 

July 1. Went down to Nahant to see Isabella, and re- 
turned on the twenty-seventh. 

July 5. Frank left for Cape May. 

July 8. Jenny and John went to Nahant. 

July 14. Jennie Peele confined of a boy on the twelfth. 

[Walter Hunnewell, jr.] 
July 23. John and mother visited Isabella at Nahant. 

July 24. Oak tree on the lawn measured by John. 
[See article on Trees under same date.] 

Aug. 10. We have had heavy rain-storms lately with 
severe thunder and lightning, which struck the 
lower lodge. 

The grubs very abundant on the lawn. 

Aug. 23. Mr. [George] Dent came up this afternoon. 

Aug. 24. Left for Saratoga with mother and John, and 

returned Sept. 3. 
Sept. 10. Returned from a three days' visit to Newport. 
Sept. 11. C. S. Sargent and wife here. 

Sept. 12. Went down to Brookline to dine with Mrs. 
J. L. Gardner. 

Sept. 13. Went to the camp at Framingham in the 
afternoon with Susie Lawrence, Helen Loring, Te- 
resa Merriam, H. Lovering. 

Sept. 18. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Gardner here. 
John left for New York and Paris. 
102 



Sept. 21. Received the award of the referees in suit 
against the city for damages occasioned by con- 
structing conduit through the estate, $50,000 and 
three years' interest. 

Sept. 24. Took in azaleas, and taking in some few 
half-hardies. 

Sept. 30. HoIUs and Louisa moved up. 

Oct. 3. Edith Russell's wedding. [Married to Sir 
Lyon Playfair.] 

Oct. 4. Isabella confined of a boy at one P.M. to-day. 
[Hollis Hunnewell Shaw.] 

Oct. 6. Moved in the orange trees, and busy planting 
bulbs. 

Oct. 11. Went up to F. Bowditch's (Framingham) 
to dine. 

Oct. 1(3. Drove down to Brookline yesterday, and 
called on Mrs. [R. C] Winthrop, Mrs. [J. L.] Gard- 
ner, and Mrs. C. S. Sargent. 

Oct. 19. Three more days of summer weather; ther- 
mometer 60" mornings and up to 77° middle of day. 
Generally thought to be most astonishing weather. 

Nov. 3. Went to walk up Leach's Lane. 

Nov. 6. C. S. Sargent here. Took in hollies. 

Nov. 10. Went to walk through Sargent's woods with 
jenny, Alice Russell, Walter, and N. Thayer. 

Nov. 14. Charley Lovering's wedding-day. [Married 
to Miss Marian Sears.] 

Nov. 15. Busy housing half-hardy rhododendrons. 

103 



Nov. 20. Fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of the 
Unitarian Church, South Natick. Services by Rev. 
J. P. Sheafe, jr., and H. Alger. 

Nov. 21. Arthur and Jeanie moved to town [into their 
new house, 303 Dartmouth Street]. 

Nov. 22. Removed plants from Conservatory. 

Nov. 25. Moved into the city. Length of residence, 
six months, twenty-five days. 

Nov. 27 and Dec. 5,14,1 9, and 3 1 . Went up to Welles- 
ley. 

Nov. 28. Thanksgiving day. Southeasterly rain all 
day. Mollis, Louisa, Frank, Walter, Arthur, and 
Jeanie dined with us. Fuller is at work on retaining- 
wall to upper terrace in Italian garden. 

Dec. 25. Had our usual Christmas dinner: Hollis, 
Louisa, Frank, Walter, Jennie Peele, Arthur, Dr. 
[T.] Curtis and Annah, [Frank] Merriam and Te- 
resa, Hortense [Lovering], Miss Alice Lee, Aunt 
Jane [Welles], Isabella and Robert, and Jenny; 
eighteen in all. 

Dec. 29. Drove out to Brookline to see C. S. Sargent, 
who was gone to Providence. 

Dec. 30. Went to Dedham as to water suit. 

During the year an azalea pit was built for the 
Indian azaleas. 

1879 

Jan. 15 and 20. Went up to Wellesley; on the fifteenth 
went with little Hollis. 

Jan. 22. Mother and I left for New York and Wash- 
ington, and returned Feb. 7. 

104 



Feb. 8 and March 3, 7, 14, 19, 22, and 29. Went up to 

Wellesley. 
March 6. Went down to Easton with [F.] G. Dexter 

and C. S. Sargent. 
March 11. Little Hollis dined with us; eleven years 

old 10th of February last. Went to Wellesley. 

March 16. Went out to Brookline and called on C. S. 
Sargent. 

March 17. Had whist-party. 

March 20. Went to Wellesley. Had C. S. Sargent 
and wife and H. W. Sargent to dinner. 

April 2. Went to Wellesley. Spring very backward. 

April 4. Dined at Dr. [Charles D.] Homans's. 

April 6. Went out to C. S. Sargent's. 

April 7. Went up to Wellesley. Commenced paper- 
ing hall, and put in new furnace. Remodelled hall 
in Mansion House by putting up columns, wooden 
ceiling, a new oak floor; put in a landscape paper 
chosen by R. G. Shaw. There had formerly been an 
oil-cloth carpet on the floor and an oak paper on wall. 
Remodelling of hall done by G. R. and R. G. Shaw. 

April 9 and 1 6. Went up to Wellesley. 

April 10. Isabella moved to Wellesley. 

April 12. Went up to Wellesley with C. S. Sargent and 
H. W. Sargent. Took out azaleas from cellar yes- 
terday. 

April 13. Easter Sunday; cloudy, but mild and pleas- 
ant. 

April 15. Arthur and family moved to Wellesley. 
Moved out rhododendrons and hollies from pits. 

105 



April 21. Went up to Wellesley. Moved out arauca- 
rias from cellar. Jennie left for New York with 
Arthur and Jeanie. 

April 24. Moved up to Wellesley. 

April 29. Went to the city and settled with Judge 
Abbott and Mayor Prince upon the terms of a com- 
promise of our claim for damages against the city 
of Boston, occasioned by the Sudbury River conduit 
passing through our estate. By an award of Com- 
missioners appointed by order of Court, we were 
to be paid $50,000 and interest from June 29, 1875, 
from which the city appealed, and a trial was to be 
had at Dedham this week; but, after a long and te- 
dious negotiation, I have waived the claim for in- 
terest and agreed to take the principal with some 
two thousand dollars for costs of the arbitration. 
All things considered, it is a great triumph and the 
occasion of great satisfaction, as I did not want the 
trouble of a public trial. 

(N.B. This settlement was not carried out by the 
Water Board and the matter was not finally settled 
until October, when a reduction was made and the 
money paid.) 

April 30. Dined at Louisa's with all the family. Her 
wedding anniversary. 

May 1. Busy sodding upper terraces, masons having 
finished balustrade. 

May 3. Busy transplanting rhododendrons in half- 
hardy garden. 

May 6. Commenced planting half-hardy rhododen- 
drons in tent garden to-day. 

106 



May 13. Commenced work on echeveria bed. 

May 17. Put up new awning and framework of iron 
in front of Conservatory and filled it with plants; 
early rhododendrons and azaleas producing a won- 
derfully fine effect. 

May 18. Louisa's kettledrum friends here yesterday 
P.M. C. S. Sargent here to-day. 

May 24. Azaleas in full bloom. Put up tent the 
twenty-second. 

May 30. Very busy preparing for the fete on the third. 

June 2. Winthrop and Aim6e [Sargent] arrived for the 
fete to-morrow. 

June 3. Great Fete-day. Twelve hundred persons in- 
vited; only one hundred came; rain, rain, rain all 
day long, and only a few ladies ventured out to see 
our flowers. Rhododendrons under tent were in 
their prime and made a wonderfully fine appearance. 
Indian azaleas mostly over, but the Ghent were still 
in fine condition. 

June 5. Rhododendrons in hardy garden in full bloom. 

June 6. Had Trustees of Humane Society to dine, 
also Dr. [0. W.] Holmes, Dr. [G. E.] Ellis, F. 
Bronson, A. Flagg, L. Homer, P. Grant. 

June 8. Slight frost. 

June 16. Removed balance of Indian azaleas from tent. 

June 1 7. Took off all the canvas from tent to-day, also 
from azalea tent. 

July 3. Left for Newport via Framingham. 

July 1 1 . Returned from our visit to Louisa. 

107 



July 16. In the afternoon we had a very violent rain- 
storm and hurricane which blew down several fine 
white pines in White Pine Avenue, and tore off 
large limbs and branches from many of the maples 
and other trees on the place. 

July 27. Flower-garden very handsome. 

July 29. Left for Saratoga with mother. 

Aug. 9. Returned from Saratoga and Catskill Moun- 
tains. Had a pleasant trip, but it was very hot dur- 
ing the first part of our visit. 

Aug. 12. Isabella with little Susan, Robert, and Jenny 
Hunnewell left this morning for the White Moun- 
tains. 

Aug. 14. Son Henry returned home to-day from Paris, 
after an absence of three years studying architecture 
in the Ecole des Beaux Arts. 

Aug. 16. Jenny Hunnewell returned from the White 
Mountains this afternoon; hurried back to see her 
brother Henry. 

Aug. 28. Thermometer 52° at seven a.m., and the 
family think it unusually cold. 

Aug. 29. Isabella returned from White Mountains. 

Sept. 6. Lottie Gordon here. 

Sept. 10. Mrs. [R. C] Winthrop and friends here, 
also Mrs. [S. R.] Payson and Mrs. [J. C] Palfrey. 

Sept. 11. Sir Lyon Playfair and Lady Edith lunched 
with us this day. 

Sept. 23. C. S. Sargent and Dr. [George] Engleman 
here yesterday. Mr. P. L. Ames at Walter's. 

108 



Sept. 25. [Robert] Douglas and Dr. [J. C] Warren 
here. Took down the awning yesterday in front of 
Conservatory. 

Sept. 28. Made a final settlement with Water Board 
for damages, deducting $5000 from referee's award 
of $50,000, and relinquishing claim to interest, about 
$12,500. Having settled the above, I have com- 
menced grading the ground near it, with thirty teams 
carting material. 

Commenced work on old Morton place for the 
purpose of making a public park and building a li- 
brary and town hall for Wellesley. 

Oct. 5. Went to Indian Farm last Sunday on a tramp. 
To-day went to Ridge Hill with Miss Julia Appleton, 
F. Loring, F. Shaw, Arthur and Jeanie, Jenny, Wal- 
ter, Henry, and L. Tuckerman. 

Oct. 16. Hortense [Lovering] comes up with the same 
story as last year at this time, when it was "the 
most extraordinary warm weather ever before ex- 
perienced." 

Oct. 22. Moved out plants from Conservatory. 

Oct. 26. Thermometer 18° ; coldest night we have had 
for several years, so early in autumn. 

Nov. 3. Frank's birthday; snowing. 

Nov. 4. Are using the snow-plough to make paths. 

Nov. 5. Still colder; real winter weather. Thermom- 
eter 16° this morning. Snow has not melted any, 
and all agree in the opinion that there never was any- 
thing to compare with it. 

Nov. 7. Children having a grand time coasting. 

109 



Nov. 12. Isabella moved to the city to-day. 

Nov. 14. Mother says the weather this autumn has 
been unusually cloudy and unpleasant. Have been 
moving in hollies and half-hardy rhododendrons. 

Nov. 21. Thermometer 12°. Pipes in china-closet 
frozen. 

Nov. 22. Another cold morning. The pipe in dress- 
ing-room over dining-room burst, flooding the din- 
ing-room ceiling. 

Nov. 23. The fourth fall of snow this autumn. Went 
to walk down to Morton place. 

Nov. 24. Moved to the city. Length of residence, 
seven months. 

Nov. 27. Thanksgiving day. Cloudy and mild. We 
had to dinner Hollis and Louisa, with little Mollis; 
Arthur and Jeanie, Frank and Jenny, with Aunt 
Jane [Welles] ; ten in all. 

Dec. 9. Went up to Wellesley. 

Dec. 13. Mother and I went up to Wellesley to pass 
the afternoon. 

Dec. 15. Louisa had a dancing-party. 

Dec. 25. Forty-fourth anniversary of our wedding! 
Had our usual Christmas dinner; present: H. W. 
Sargent and wife, Winthrop [Sargent] and wife. 
Uncle [J. S.] Lovering, Dr. [T. B.] Curtis and 
wife, Frank Merriam and wife, Hortense [Lover- 
ing], Hollis and Louisa, Frank, Walter and wife, 
Arthur and wife, Isabella and husband, Jenny, and 
mother and Aunt Jane [Welles] ; twenty-three in 
all. 

110 



Dec. 27. Went up to Wellesley. Pond frozen over. 

Dec. 28. Had a short sleigh-ride with mother, Jenny, 
and little Mollis. Very poor sleighing. 

Dec. 29. Had my Whist Club: P. Grant, F. Lovering, 
A. Flagg, [W.j Prescott, F. Bradlee, [John] Ander- 
son, J. [C] Davis, J. Bayley, [W.j Homer, Hollis, 
and Frank. 

Dec. 30. A large fire occurred night before last in Fed- 
eral Street, extending to stores on Devonshire Street, 
badly burning our small store for second time. 

During the year built a brick and stone balustrade 
with Chinese tiles on the upper terrace of Italian 
garden. It is a great improvement, as a fine view is 
obtained from it of the Italian garden and our beau- 
tiful lake, which attracts thousands of visitors. 



1880 

Jan. 2. Jenny had a dancing-party last night of about 
eighty persons, which went off very pleasantly. 

Jan. 7 and 19. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 9. Arthur and Jeanie's ball this evening. 

Jan. 20. Louisa's second party. Went out to Brook- 
line to C. S. Sargent's. [Ignatius] Sargent's eigh- 
tieth birthday celebration. 

Feb. 10. Jenny's second dancing-party last evening. 
Little HoUis's birthday, twelve years old. 

Feb. 18. Went up to Wellesley yesterday with H. W. 
Sargent. 

Feb. 24. Left for New York. 

Ill 



March 12. Returned from our trip to New York and 
Washington. 

March 16. Had Whist Club to dinner. Joe Peabody 
and S. W. Rodman, guests. 

March 23 and 26. Went up to Wellesley; on twenty- 
third went with Mr. [E. D.J Boit. 

March 28. Easter Sunday. Snow and sleet all day. 

March 31. Little Hollis went to boarding-school at 
Concord [N. H.]. 

April 2. Went up to Wellesley with Isabella and Jennie 
Peele. 

April 4. Season in advance some ten days of last year. 

April 8. Fast-day. Went to Wellesley. 

April 15. Went up to Wellesley. Took out rhododen- 
drons from pit. 

April 21 . Took out azaleas from cellar. 

April 28. Arthur moved up to Wellesley yesterday and 
Hollis to-morrow. 

April 29. Moved up to Wellesley. 

April 30. All dined at Hollis's day after we came up, — 
N. Thayer, jr., and Hortense [Lovering], with all 
the family except Jennie Peele. 

May 2. Went to walk with N. Thayer, jr., and Hor- 
tense [Lovering], who were staying at Hollis's. 

May 13. Swallows made their appearance to-day. 
Went up to Sherborn yesterday to see the apple trees 
in full blossom. 

May 18. Put up awning in front of Conservatory. 

112 



May 20. Hollis and Louisa have been in New York for 
ten days. Arthur and Jeanie and Jenny Hunnewell 
also in New York this week. 

May 22. Put up azalea tent and arranged plants, the 
handsomest we ever had. 

May 25. Put up rhododendron tent. 

May 27. Very hot weather for several days; thermom- 
eter up to about 90' for four days past, and it is 
thought to be the warmest May we have had for 
many years, it is also becoming very dry. J. S. 
Lovering and daughter here. 

June 1. Had AgriculUiral Club and about a dozen 
others. Rhododendrons in full bloom. 

June 2. John 0. Sargent and daughter [Georgie] ar- 
rived here on the twenty-ninth, and are making us a 
little visit. Find Georgie a very interesting young 
lady. Had Whist Club. 

June 4. Had Humane Society. Out-door rhododen- 
drons in full bloom. 

June 6. Went down to C. S. Sargent's. 

June 1 1 . Took down azalea tent. 

June 1 4. Took off tent on rhododendrons. 

June 15. Enormous quantity of rose-bugs. 

June 26. Heat has been most uncomfortable day and 
night. Engine every day this week watering lawn, 
rhododendrons, and flower-garden. 

July 5. Yesterday being Sunday, the Fourth was cele- 
brated to-day, and Arthur had fireworks in the even- 
ing. 

113 



July 14. Aunt Jane [Welles] died last evening at ten 
o'clock. 

July 15. Henry W. Sargent arrived. 

July 16. Aunt Jane's [Welles] funeral from 32 Bea- 
con Street; rainy day. 

July 21. Place looking famously. Flower-garden in 
perfection. 

July 23. Have transplanted all the rhododendrons in 
border by oak tree, the ground being in good con- 
dition in consequence of the heavy showers we have 
been having. 

July 27. Fine day. Thermometer 80°. Seventieth 
birthday. 

Aug. 5. Isabella and children left for White Moun- 
tains. 
Aug. 13. Mother and I left for the White Mountains. 

Aug. 27. Returned from our trip to the mountains. 
While away, slight frost one morning. 

Sept. 6. Atchison and Topeka Board ratified the agree- 
ment made with President Coolidge to purchase our 
Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Railroad. 

Sept. 17. Cousin Ellen Townsend up here making us 
a short visit before leaving for Europe on Oct. 9. 
Great celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth 
anniversary of the settlement of Boston. 

Sept. 26. Took down the awning in front of Conserva- 
tory yesterday. Isabella and Bob returned last even- 
ing from a visit to Cousin Henry W. Sargent's. 

Sept. 27. Drove to Waltham to attend Mr. Geo. W. 
Lyman's funeral. 

114 



Sept. 30. Covered up flowers and orange trees. 

Oct. 2. Moved in orange trees. 

Oct. 1 1. Arthur and Jeanie and family have left to- 
day for New York, to sail on the thirteenth in the 
Gallia for Europe, to be absent one year. Miss Susie 
Lawrence here. 

Oct. 17. Autumn foliage has been very handsome. 

Oct. 18. Drove down to Brookline to call on C. S. Sar- 
gent, who had not returned from the West. 

Oct. 19. Frank left for Philadelphia. 

Nov. 5. Left for New York to see [W. H.] Vanderbilt 
in regard to C, B. and Q. 

Nov. 8. Hortense [Lovering], who has been making 
us a visit, says it has been the mildest and pleasant- 
est autumn she ever experienced, and I am of same 
opinion. 

Nov. 9. Isabella moved into town to-day. Put hollies, 
etc., into pit. 

Nov. 13. Put rhododendrons into pit. 

Nov. 19. Moved into the city. Length of residence, 
six months, twenty-one days. 

During this year built an addition to west end of 
Conservatory, connecting it with the piazza, provid- 
ing an excellent place for orchids to be seen from 
drawing-room. Put in two new boilers in green- 
house. Extended road through Italian garden in 
front of Rockery, and built a culvert through which 
the water runs from the lake. 

Nov. 25. Thanksgiving day. Cloudy and a little snow. 
Frank, Mollis, and Louisa, with little Mollis and 
Charlotte dined with us. 

115 



Nov. 28. Had a touch of lumbago. 

Dec. 6. Went to Whist Club at F. Bradlee's. 

Dec. 14. Went to Wellesley; first time since we moved 
to the city. 

Dec. 15. Went last night to see Sarah Bernhardt in 
"Camille." 

Dec. 23. Went up to Wellesley with little Mollis. Fine 

skating on the pond. 
Dec. 25. Christmas day. Cloudy and threatening 

weather. Mollis and Louisa with little Mollis and 

Charlotte, Walter, Isabella and Bob, and Frank 

composed our Christmas dinner-party. 
Dec. 27. Mad my whist-party to dine: P. Grant, J. 

Anderson, A. Flagg, W. Prescott, J. Peabody, [S. 

W.] Rodman, G. Amory, F. Levering, Mollis and 

Frank. 

Dec. 28. Francis Welles Munnewell born to-day. 

Dec. 31. Took a sleigh-ride with mother on the Brigh- 
ton Road. 

1881 

Jan. 2. Went to call on C. S. Sargent in open sleigh. 

Jan. 9. Went to C. S. Sargent's with mother, Isabella, 
and Jenny. 

Jan. 1 1 and 25. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 19. Frank and Jenny left for Newport. 

Jan. 23. Cousin Menry W. Sargent and Caroline [Sar- 
gent] dined with us yesterday, with Winthrop and 
Aimee [Sargent]. 

116 



Jan. 28. Preparing to leave to-morrow with mother, 
Jenny, and Hortense [Levering] for N. Thayer's 
wedding at Baltimore. 

March 15. Returned from our journey, having come 
from Baltimore to Washington, then to Charleston 
and Savannah, then to Mobile and New Orleans, 
where we stayed fifteen days; then to St. Louis and 
Chicago, from there to New York. Had a very 
pleasant time and enjoyed ourselves much. 

March 19. Went up to Wellesley; found rhododen- 
drons a good deal injured by the winter. 

March 22. Had Whist Club to dine yesterday. 

March 24. Drove out to Botanic Garden at Cambridge 
with H. W. Sargent. 

April !. Dined with Humane Society at Union Club: 
H. A. Whitney, Dr. [J. C] Warren, H. Lee, Dr. 
[S. K.] Lothrop, A. Lawrence, and Dr. [C. D.] 
Homans. 

April 2. Dined at Parker's, Agricultural Club. 

April 5. Dined yesterday at F. Lovering's, Whist Club. 

April 7. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley. 

April 1 1 . Went up to Wellesley. Moving out hollies. 

April 13. Went out to Brookline to lunch with C. S. 
Sargent. 

April 18. Went up to Wellesley with H. W. Sargent. 
Taking out azaleas from cellar. 

April 20 and 22. Went up to Wellesley. Moved rho- 
dodendrons from pit, and arranged the tent. 

117 



April 25. Planted a variegated Negundo maple tree 
east side steps of house in town. (N.B. Replaced 
with Daphne in 1882.) 

April 26. Went out to Wellesley. 

April 28. Moved up to Wellesley. Very pleasant and 
warm. 

April 29. Isabella moved up in afternoon. 

April 30. Dined at Hollis's. 

May 12. Hortense [Lovering] came up. 

May 18. Pet [F. W. H.] came home from Philadel- 
phia.' 

May 22. C. S. Sargent and wife passed the day with 
us. Put up awning in front of Conservatory the 
twentieth. 

May 26 and 28. Put up azalea and rhododendron 
tents. 

May 27. Received great news from Jenny. 

June 2. Had Humane Society to dine. Dr. [O. W.] 
Holmes, Dr. [G. E.] Ellis, and Dr. [G. J.] Town- 
send, invited guests. 

Junes. Hollis had Whist Club. Azaleas in full bloom. 
The gentleman from Wyoming arrived yesterday. 

June 9. A good many visitors ; [S. B.] Parsons among 
them, also Mrs. [J. L.] Gardner and Mrs. Wain- 
wright. Azalea tent looking still finely. Rhododen- 
drons about in full bloom and the place most at- 
tractive. 

June 13. About the most attractive moment to show 
the place. 

' This entry is in F. W. H.'s handwriting. 

118 



June 20. Taking down tents. 

June 25. Busy removing plants from tent. Little Mol- 
lis dined with us to-day. 

July 2. News received of the attempt by Guiteau to 
assassinate President Garfield. 

July 4. Isabella had the fireworks for the children. 

July 10. C. S. Sargent and wife drove up this after- 
noon. 

July 15. Left for Newport with mother, and returned 
home the twenty-third. 

July 26. Went down to Nahant and made Teresa 
[Merriam] a visit, and returned Aug. 2. 

Aug. 10. Cousin Sammy, the Marquis Welles de La 
Valette, here with his friend Marquis de Cambis. 

Aug. 12. Went up to White Mountains and passed 
twelve days at Maplewood House, Bethlehem; re- 
turned the twenty-fourth. 

Aug. 25. Lawn very green and flower-garden very 
handsome; never saw the place looking better. 

Sept. 4. Busy transplanting evergreens. 

Sept. 7. Hottest day we have had for years, thermom- 
eter 92 ; in Boston 101°. 

Sept. 12. Went on to New York to look after new build- 
ing; returned the thirteenth. 

Sept. 18. C. S. Sargent and wife passed the day with 
us. 

Sept. 20. News of the death of President Garfield re- 
ceived. Went down to Brookline. 

Sept. 24. Busy replanting hardy rhododendrons in 
tent garden, which had become very crowded. 

119 



Oct. 4. Ancients and Honorables here. 

Oct. 5. Moved orange trees and azaleas into houses. 

Oct. 6. Henry F. Durant's funeral. 

Oct. 9. Hortense [Levering], who has just arrived 

from Nahant, declares this has been decidedly the 

most extraordinary season she ever experienced. 
Oct. 2 1 . Foliage very fine this year, though many say 

it is not as good as usual. 
Oct. 22. Arthur and family sailed from Liverpool in 

the Algeria. 
Oct. 26. Moved plants from Conservatory. Susie 

Lawrence making us a visit. 
Oct. 3 1 . Mother and I leave for New York. 
Nov. 3. The Algeria arrived with Arthur and family 

and Henry; all well. 
Nov. 4. Returned home to Wellesley with Arthur and 

family. 
Nov. 10. Moved to city, — earlier than usual, owing to 

Jenny's wedding. Length of residence, six months, 

thirteen days. 

During this year discontinued road leading to the 

kitchen door from main entrance and made a new 

one through the pines, entering near the stable. 

Built a new rhododendron pit by the woodshed and 

engine-house. 
Nov. 17. Louisa moved to town. 
Nov. 18. Rhododendrons and hollies have been moved 

into the pits during the past week. 
Nov. 22. Jenny's wedding-day! [Married by the Rev. 

J. Foote.] Pleasant in the morning, grew cold in 

120 



afternoon, and thermometer went down to 19°, — the 
coldest this season. 

Nov. 29. Went up to Wellesley. 

Dec. 6, 9, and 16. Went up to Wellesley with mother 
on the sixth. 

Dec. 7. Men at work trenching at Wellesley. 

Dec. 18. Drove to C. S. Sargent's. 

Dec. 24. Christmas eve. Had our Christmas dinner. 
Forty-sixth wedding anniversary. Cousin Henry 
and Caroline [Sargent], Winthrop and Aimee [Sar- 
gent], Hollis and Louisa, Frank, Walter, and Jennie 
Peele, Arthur and Jeanie, Isabella and Bob, Jenny 
and Frank Sargent, little Hollis, Charlotte, Henry, 
Mr. and Mrs. [E. D.] Boit; twenty-two in all. 

Dec. 25. Sunday. Christmas day. Very pleasant. 

Dec. 28. Harriet Lawrence's wedding [to Augustus 
Hemenway]. 

1882 

Jan. 1. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's and Uncle [J. S.] 
Lovering's. The winter thus far has been very mild, 
no snow or ice, and the general remark is that it is 
a most extraordinary season, same as '77 and '78. 

Jan. 4. Mother and 1 left for New York to see the 
new Welles Building we are erecting, and returned 
on the seventh. 

Jan. 10. Went up to Wellesley. Harris thinks the 
winter very remarkable. Only two cold days so far. 

Jan. 20. Have been poorly for three or four days past. 
Went to drive with mother and little Susan. 

121 



Jan. 22. Drove out to Uncle [J. S.] Lovering's. 
Jan. 25. Harris says the thermometer at Wellesley is 
14° below zero. 

Jan. 28. Drove out to Dorchester with mother, recov- 
ering from my eczema. 

Feb. 1 . The most severe snow-storm we have had for 
several years, — twelve to fifteen inches of snow. 

Feb. 5. Another very heavy snow-storm commenced 
yesterday and continued all night; some eighteen 
inches fell and much drifted, snow piled up in Bea- 
con Street near sidewalk six feet high. 

Feb. 22. Have been confined to the house for four or 
five days, — my second attack. 

March 1. Left for New York with mother, Isabella, 
Hortense [Lovering], and Ellen Townsend; Mr. and 
Mrs. A. A. Lawrence joined us next day. Went 
to Hygeia Hotel at Old Point Comfort; returned by 
way of Washington March 24. 

April 2. Dined yesterday at Parker House, Forty- 
second Anniversary Agricultural Club. 

April 3. Went up to Wellesley, — the first time for sev- 
eral weeks; also went up on eighth and eleventh. 

April 16. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's. 

April 18. Went up to Wellesley. Moved out the hol- 
lies. HoUis and Louisa moved up to Wellesley this 

P.M. 

April 20. Moved out rhododendrons. Isabella and 
family moved up to Wellesley. 

April 25. Walter and family moved to Wellesley. 
April 28. Moved up to Wellesley. 

122 



May 3. Have been busy planting the knoll near the 
lower entrance gate on main road. 

May 16. Jenny Sargent moved up to tlic Morrill 
House to-day. 

May 17. Drove down to Longwood. The season is 
now later than usual. 

May 21. Hortense [Lovering], who is staying at Ar- 
thur's, wishes it stated as her opinion that it is the 
most extraordinary cold and wet spring she ever ex- 
perienced. 

May 22. Put up the tent in front of Conservatory to- 
day. 

May 27. Put out azalea tent, and finished planting the 
azaleas on thirty-first. 

June 4. C. S. Sargent and wife here. 

June 7. Rhododendron tent put up. 

June 13. Had Trustees of Humane Society to dine. 
Only [Henry A.] Whitney, [B. W.] Crowninshield, 
and [Charles H.] Joy present. F. L. Olmsted, 
S. C. Cobb, L. Saltonstall, Dr. [Asa] Gray, Dr. 
[Geo. E.J Ellis, Dr. [R. M.] Hodges, and F. L. 
Ames, guests. 

June 14. Azalea tent looks very handsome, — Ghent 
azaleas in full blossom. Rhododendron tent begin- 
ning to be very showy. 

June 15. Had Colonel [M. P.] Wilder and members of 
Agricultural Club here with several others — about 
twenty-five in number. Among them, Webster 
Bank Directors, F. B. Hayes, James H. Sturgis, 
S. R. Payson. 



June 17. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Merriam here. 
June 18. Rhododendron tent in perfection. 
June 19. Removing azaleas from tent. 

June 22. Mr. and Mrs. [G. M.] Barnard here and 
passed the night. 

June 23. F. A. Lovering and daughter here. 

June 25. Thermometer near 90° to-day, and Frank and 
mother no longer say it is the coldest summer they 
ever experienced. 

June 27. Taking down rhododendron tent. 

July 4. Willard Peele Hunnewell born. 
Fireworks postponed, owing to rain. 

July 6. Left for Saratoga with mother, Mr. and Mrs. 
J. L. Gardner, and Mr. and Mrs. W. Parsons; re- 
turned on the seventeenth. 

July 29. Returned home from a short visit to F. Mer- 
riam at Nahant. 

Aug. 1 . Went down to Newport, and returned on the 
sixth. 

Aug. 10. Leave for White Mountains. 

Aug. 25. Returned from the White Mountains with 
Cousin Ellen Townsend yesterday. Flower-garden 
in fine condition. 

Sept. 7. Jenny Sargent safely confined of a little girl 
this morning [Jane Welles]. 

Sept. 10. Drought continues. 

Sept. 13. Dr. Geo. E. Ellis passed the day with us, 
visited Indian Farm and College. 

Oct. 2. Teresa [Merriam] left for New York and Eu- 
rope. 

124 



Oct. 3. Took off awning in front of Conservatory. 
Oct. 14. Returned from New York, where we spent 
four rainy days. 

Oct. 18. The foliage is thought to be the finest for sev- 
eral years. Drove down to C. S. Sargent's yester- 
day. Mr. [G. H.] Redmond, Miss [Jesse] Motley, 
and Hortense [Lovering] at Arthur's. 

During the year bought the old Darling House 
with four and a half acres of land, up to Durant line. 
Took down fountain in flower-garden back of house; 
found the spray with the least breeze wet the piazza, 
so it could not be used. 

Nov. 1 . Isabella confined of a boy [Theodore Lyman]. 
Moving in rhododendrons. 

Nov. 4. Went to [G. A.] James's place, and dined at 
Mr. Thos. Motley's yesterday. 

Nov. 10. Death of H. W. Sargent. 

Nov. 17. Returned from New York, having gone to 
attend the funeral of H. W. Sargent on the thir- 
teenth. 

Nov. 28. Moved to the city with mother. Length of 
residence, seven months. 

Nov. 30. A fine day for Thanksgiving. Mollis and 
Louisa, Walter and Jennie, Arthur and Jeanie, Frank 
and Henry, dined with us. 

Dec. 25. Mild and pleasant weather lately. Had our 
usual Christmas dinner, which we enjoyed very 
much. Forty-seventh Anniversary; present: Hollis 
and Louisa, Walter and Jennie, Arthur and Jeanie, 
Frank and Henry, Isabella and Bob, Jenny and 

125 



Frank Sargent, Hortense Lovering and little Hollis 
and Charlotte, Susan, Mary, Isabella, Jeanie, Julia 
and Willie Patten, and eight little folks at a side 
table. 
Dec. 26 and 30. Went up to Wellesley. 



1883 
Jan. 11. Frank left for Philadelphia. 
Jan. 1 8. Went up to Wellesley with F. L. Lee. 
Jan. 22. Had Whist Club: P. Grant, F. Lovering, J. 

Peabody, F. Bradlee, [W.] Prescott, N. Thayer, jr., 

H. Whitwell, [A.] Flagg, [S. W.] Rodman, and 

Bob Shaw. 
Jan. 27. Wellesley Free Library opened to the public 

this week. 
Feb. 8. Went up to Wellesley. 
Feb. 18. Isabella'sbaby, Theodore Lyman, and Jenny's 

baby, Jane Welles, were christened at the Arlington 

Street Church by Rev. Brooke Herford. 
Feb. 20. Left for Florida with mother and Cousin 

Ellen [Townsend]. 
March 31. Returned home, having visited Richmond, 

Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Magnolia, Pa- 

latka, and Augusta, and Aiken on our way home; 

had a very pleasant time. 
April 2. Went up to Wellesley. Found a great many 

rhododendrons injured during our absence. 

April 7. Fast-day. Dined at C. S. Sargent's with Mr. 
and Mrs. W. R. Robeson. 

126 



April 9. Went to Wellesley and cut back many of the 
rhododendrons injured this winter. 

April 15. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's. Found a great 
many of his rhododendrons and retinosporas injured 
by the winter. 

April 18 and 24. Went up to Wellesley. Laying iron 
pipes in garden to connect with Natick Water-works. 
Planted out hollies on twenty-first. 

April 28. Moved up to Wellesley. 

April 29. Rain and sleet all day. Henry much dis- 
gusted with the climate in this country; thinks he 
may like it better a little later in the season. 

May 1. Natick Historical Society had a field-day; 
visited Leach's Lane, Kimball, Old Welles Place, 
and Morrill House, at each of which a paper was 
read on its past history, going back over a century. 
Dr. G. E. Ellis was present and made a very inter- 
esting address about the Apostle Eliot. 

May 2. Have been very busy taking up rhododendrons 
that have been injured the past winter, likewise 
many retinosporas and hemlocks. It has been the 
most disastrous winter for evergreens that we have 
had for several years. Moved out from pits the 
half-hardy rhododendrons. 

May 14. Our French son John arrived home on a visit 
after an absence of five years. 

May 20. Put up awning in front of Conservatory. 

May 26. Put up azalea awning. 

May 27. Mrs. F. L. Lee here yesterday. 

127 



June 1. Returned yesterday from twenty-four hour 
visit to New York. Put up azalea and rhododen- 
dron tents. 

June 8. Rhododendrons in full blossom, both in tent 
and the borders. Never had such a grand mass 
of bloom. Season four to five days earlier than 
last year. Had the Humane Society Trustees to 
dine: Dr. [Charles D.] Homans, B. W. Crownin- 
shield, Dr. [J. C] Warren, also Professor Good- 
ale, Wm. Boott, Dr. Geo. E. Ellis, H. Whitwell, 
Dr. [S. K.] Lothrop, Walter, Jennie, Isabella, and 
Frank. 

June 14. Rev. B. Herford and daughters here. 

June 18. Took down tents. 

June 22. Father, Isabella, and Frank upset in the ham- 
mock; no one hurt.' 

July 4. More rain and very warm. Thermometer 85°, 
but Walter had fireworks for the children. 

July 7. Hollis and John left for Newport. 

July 9. Jenny Sargent moved to Wareham, into their 
new house. 

July 16. Isabella and children left for Mount Desert. 
July 21. We went down to Newport to make Hollis 
a visit, and returned home on the twenty-eighth. 
July 30. Left for Wareham. 

Aug. 7. Returned from our visit to Jenny, and had a 
very pleasant time. 

Aug. 10. Left for Mount Desert with mother and John, 
and returned on the twenty-first. 

' This entry is in the handwriting of F. W. H. 

128 



Aug. 29. Mollis and Louisa moved up from Newport. 
Aug. 31. John measured the oak tree on the lawn. 

[See article on Trees under same date.] 
Sept. 4. Isabella returned from Mount Desert. 
Sept. 8. There was a large fire in the woods two days 

ago, and a great many trees burnt. 
Sept. 10. Busy watering trees and plants; have given 

up the grass. Jenny returned from Wareham. 

Sept. 12. Arthur and family returned from Wareham. 
Sept. 14. Walter and family returned from Beverly. 
Sept. 16. Drought continues. 

Sept. 21. Received news of the death of Mr. J. E. 
Souchard on the 7th inst. at the Chateau de Vais, 
France. 

Sept. 25. Went to Susie Lawrence's wedding. [Mar- 
ried to W. C. Loring.] 
Sept. 26. Went to New York, and returned next day. 
Sept. 28. Moved in azaleas. 

Oct. 6. Took down Conservatory tent yesterday. Sea- 
son over! 

Oct. 9. Dr. G. E. Ellis passed the day with us. 

Oct. 1 1. We think the oaks are looking uncommonly 
fine this autumn. Have not suffered from the 
drought, as has been the case with the maples. 

Oct. 14. Frank says this is the most extraordinary au- 
tumn we have ever had. C. S. Sargent and wife 
dined with us. 

Oct. 16. John left this morning for New York to sail 
on the eighteenth. Yesterday he was upset while 

129 



sailing on the pond, and was rescued by three 
young college girls in a rowboat. 

Oct. 25. Drove down to Mr. J. L. Gardner's, Brook- 
line. Taking in hollies. 
Oct. 31. Isabella moved to the city. 

Nov. 5. Moved into the pits half-hardy rhododen- 
drons. 

Nov. 8. Jenny Sargent moved to the city. 

Nov. 18. Little Susan passing Sunday with us. 

Nov. 26. Have been very busy for ten days past at 
work on a new avenue leading to White Pine Square 
and to Jenny's house from the main road. This new 
avenue is one hundred and forty-five feet east of 
old one that led to Morrill House, making a more 
direct connection with Walter's Avenue and intend- 
ing it for the joint use of Walter, Jenny Sargent, and 
ourselves as a back entrance to the greenhouses and 
gardener's [cottage]. 

Nov. 29. Thanksgiving day. Frank, Henry, Arthur 
and Jeanie and their children, Isabella, Jeanie, Julia 
and Willie Patten dined with us. 

Dec. 4. Arthur and Jeanie moved into town. 

Dec. 13. Fine day. Moved to the city. Stayed up 
longer than usual, owing to illness of son Hollis. 
Length of residence, seven months, fifteen days. 

Dec. 15. Went up to Wellesley and stopped work on 

new avenue. 
Dec. 21. Several snow-storms in succession; two feet 

of snow on the ground. 

130 



Dec. 22. Went up to Wellesley and drove out with 
Hollis. 

Dec. 25. Cloudy, with light snow in the evening. 
Forty-eighth Anniversary. Had our usual Christ- 
mas dinner: Walter and Jennie, Arthur and Jeanie, 
Isabella and Bob, Frank and Jenny Sargent, Henry 
and little Hollis; twelve in all. 

Dec. 28. Cold and windy. Went up to Wellesley and 
coasted downhill at Hollis's. 

1884 

Jan. 4. Dined with Humane Society at Dr. [J. C] 
Warren's. Among the invited guests were S. C. 
Cobb, President Eliot, General [F. A.j Walker, and 
Martin Brimmer. 

Jan. 5. Dined with Agricultural Club at Parker's. 

Jan. 8. Pleasant. Went up to Wellesley with little 
Susan and coasted downhill. 

Jan. 21. Had Whist Club dinner. [P.J Grant, [F.J 
Lovering, [H.J Whitwell, Dr. [F. P.J Sprague, 
[W.J Prescott, F. Bradlee, [J.J Anderson, [J.J 
Peabody, [A.J Flagg, [J. L.J Stackpole, and C. 
Merriam present. 

Jan. 29 and Feb. 6, 17. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 3. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's, Brookline. 

Feb. 25. Left for New York via Shore Line with mo- 
ther, Isabella, and Minnie Guild. 

March 29. Returned from our trip to Florida. 

April 1, 7, and 15. Went up to Wellesley. At work 
on the new avenue to White Pine Avenue. 

131 



April 2. Another snow-storm, but Jenny Sargent moved 
up to Wellesley. 

April 4. Walter and family moved to Wellesley. 

April 12. Jenny's boy born to-day at Wellesley at one 
o'clock [Francis Williams]. 

April 16. Jennie Peele confined of a girl [Louisa]. 

April 17. Hollies moved out of pit and planted. 

April 25. Went up to Wellesley and planted some 
shrubbery on new avenue by Jenny's. 

April 26. Drove to C. S. Sargent's. Winthrop and 
Aimee Sargent dined here, with Arthur and Jeanie, 
Minnie Guild, Frank, Henry, and Bob Shaw. 

April 29. Moved up to Wellesley. 

May 3. Planted out all the rhododendrons in the tent. 

May 5. Dr. G. E. Ellis passed the day with us, and 
delivered an address before the South Natick Natu- 
ral History Society. 

May 20. Have put up and arranged Conservatory tent. 

May 27. Put up azalea tent. 

May 30. Went down to C. S. Sargent's reception. 

June 2. Azalea tent looking splendidly, and put up 
rhododendron tent. 

June 6. Had Humane Trustees to dine. Dr. [C. D.] 
Homans and A. Lawrence the only ones present. 
Guests were Dr. [S. K.] Lothrop, Mr. [Brooke] 
Herford, [George] Silsbee, Professor Cooke, Dr. 
G. E. Ellis, T. Jefferson Coolidge, F. B. Hayes, and 
Walter. Azalea tent much admired. 

132 



June 1 1. Our eldest son Hollis died this day at half- 
past seven o'clock p.m., aged forty-seven years, 
six months, twenty-six days. 

June 14. Hollis's funeral. 

June 18. Rhododendrons beginning to fade, some late 
varieties in tent very handsome, such as Mrs. Men- 
del, J. Marshall Brooks, Picturatum, Rosabel, Sig- 
ismund Rucker, Marchioness of Lansdowne, James 
Mason. 

June 20. Taking azaleas out of tent. Show lasted 
twenty-three days. 

June 28. Isabella and family left us yesterday for 
New \'ork to sail to-day in the Britannic for Liver- 
pool. 

July 3. Jenny Sargent moved to Wareham. 

July 4. Cooler and very pleasant for the celebration. 

July 15. Returned from a visit of eight days to Uncle 
Lovering at Nahant. 

July 26. Frank stepped on a skunk!!! 

Aug. 2. Returned from a week's visit to Saratoga 
with mother, Arthur, and Jeanie. 

Aug. 13. Every one is of the opinion that it is the cool- 
est summer ever experienced in this country. 

Aug. 26. Returned from a trip to Maplewood of eight 
days with mother. Had a pleasant time, though 
the weather was very hot, 80° to 90° for three days. 

Aug. 30. Leave for Wareham to make Jenny Sargent 
a visit, and returned on Sept. 4. 

Sept. 10. Jenny Sargent and family moved up from 
Wareham. Another extremely hot day. Such con- 

133 



tinuous hot weather so late in the season is very un- 
usual. 

Sept. 1 1. Mother and I went down to Nahant to Hor- 
tense's [Lovering] wedding. [Married to Charles 
Head.] 

Sept. 19. Have been busy lately moving Morrill 
barn and filling up old cellar, grading and planting 
the ground. 

Sept. 27. We have had Dr. G. E. Ellis passing the week 
with us, and enjoyed his visit very much. 

Oct. 4. Taking in half-hardy plants, and removed Con- 
servatory tent. 

Oct. 9. Mrs. Probasco and Mrs. Amory here. 

Oct. 19. Finished work on Jenny's Park, and busy im- 
proving Pond Road in front of Walter's. 

Oct. 30. The autumn foliage has been unusually fine 
this season. 

Nov. 9. Have been moving into pits the hollies and 
rhododendrons. 

Nov. 19. The widening of the avenue just before 
reaching the Italian garden, which we have been at 
work on for two weeks past, is almost completed. 

Dec. 1. Moved to city. Length of residence, seven 
months, two days. Left Wellesley for New York. 

Dec. 6. Returned from New York with Isabella and the 
children, who arrived in the steamer Adriatic from 
Liverpool on the evening of Dec. 3. 

Dec. 20. Sixteen degrees below zero in country. 

Dec. 25. We had our usual Christmas dinner: Isabella 
and Bob, Arthur, Walter and Jennie, Frank Sargent 

134 



and Jenny, Frank and Henry, with Isabella's chil- 
dren Susan and Robert and Hollis, Arthur's children 
Isabella, Jeanie, Julia, and Willie Flatten, Walter's 
children Walter and Mary, with little Hollis and 
Charlotte, who came down from Wellesley and 
passed the night with us; twenty-three in all. 

Dec. 27. Little Hollis, who has been passing Christ- 
mas with us, returned home. Louisa came to the 
city and breakfasted with us. 

Dec. 30. Very mild for a few days past. Frank says 
the weather is the most remarkable he has ever 
experienced. 

1885 

Jan. 1 and 27. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 5. Had the Whist Club to dine: F. A. Lovering, 

Horatio Whitwell, Dr. [F. P.] Sprague, A. Flagg, 

F. Bradlee, J. L. Stackpole, N. Thayer, J. Peabody, 

P. Grant, W. H. Prescott, and Frank. 
Jan. 16. Frank went to Philadelphia. 
Jan. 20. Went up to Wellesley with Robert. 
Jan. 22. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's. 
Jan. 25. Went to drive with mother and Robert in 

booby on the Brighton Road. 
Jan. 3 1 . Went to drive with mother in open sleigh. 
Feb. 1 . Little Isabella, Jeanie, and Susan dined with us. 
Feb. 6. Louisa has been passing a few days with us. 
Feb. 1 3 and March 2, 20. Went up to Wellesley. 
Feb. 22. The river back of the house frozen up for 

ten days past. 

135 



Feb. 28. Frederick A. Levering died suddenly of pneu- 
monia. 

March 8. Mild weather for a week past and very pleas- 
ant. Drove out several times with mother in the 
buggy to Waltham, Arlington, etc. 

March 1 2. Went up to Lawrence to attend Mrs. Lowd's 
funeral. [Housekeeper for many years. — Ed.] 

March 23. Left for New York and Old Point Comfort 
with mother and Isabella, and returned home on 
April 10. 

April 1 1 . Went up to Wellesley. Season thought to 
be backward. 

April 20. Went up to Wellesley with mother. Ther- 
mometer at 77°. Hollies planted out on Saturday. 

April 21. Very warm again; thermometer 81°; warm- 
est day since 1872. 

April 24. Went up to Wellesley with F. L. Lee. 

April 25. Isabella and family with Annah Curtis sailed 
in the steamer Cephalonia for Liverpool. 

April 28. Moved up to Wellesley. 

April 30. Frank moved up. 

May 3. Clear and cold. F. W. H. walked in Pond 
Road, but did not see Dr. Townsend. Family all 
enjoying good health; all the girls were out by nine 
o'clock. No one gone to bed yet. Time, 1.30 A.M.* 

May 20. Put up tent in front of Conservatory. 

May 26. Put up azalea tent. 

May 29. Put up rhododendron tent — four days ear- 
lier than last year. 

' This entry is in F. W. H.'s handwriting. 

136 



June 3. Azaleas in full bloom and rhododendrons com- 
ing out fast. 

June 5. A very rainy day. Had Humane Society to 
dine. Fortunately it stopped raining towards night, 
so we were able to walk out and see the azaleas. Dr. 
[Charles] Homans, Abbott Lawrence, A. Perkins, 
Dr. [J. C]. Warren, B. W. Crowninshield, C. W. 
Amory, Jacob Rogers, B. P. Cheney, A. Lowell, 
Dr. [G. J.] Townsend, Tom Motley, and Dr. Geo. 
E. Ellis. 

June 13. Rhododendrons in their prime. Sent in 
about sixty blossoms of the choice varieties to exhi- 
bition. 

June 18. Took out azaleas from tent; over three 
weeks' show. Drove over to Lexington with C. S. 
Sargent and Walter to see [F. B.J Hayes's rhodo- 
dendrons. 

June 20. Took down portion of rhododendron tent. 

July 25. Returned from an absence of ten days to Sara- 
toga and Wodenethe. 

July 31. Commenced with nine men to trench a por- 
tion of the lawn, in hopes of getting rid of the weeds, 
which were becoming so thick as to crowd out the 
grass. 

Aug. 14. Returned from a visit of ten days to Uncle 
Lovering's, Nahant. 

Aug. 19. Have nearly one half lawn trenched, twenty 
men at work. 

Aug. 26. Left for Jenny Sargent's. 

137 



Sept. 3. Returned from our visit to Wareham. Grass 
up on part of lawn sown the 19th of August. Sowed 
a second section of lawn with seed August 28. 

Sept. 8. Sowed seed on third section of lawn. 

Sept. 14. Dr. Geo. E. Ellis came up to pass a week 
with us. 

Sept. 19. Dr. Ellis left this morning after a very pleas- 
ant visit. 

Sept. 24. Sowed grass in fourth and fifth sections of 
lawn. 

Sept. 29. Never saw the foliage looking so well. Made 
a new entrance gateway at end of Pine Avenue on 
Pond Road. 

Oct. 3. Sowed last section of lawn. Taking in orange 
trees. 

Oct. 7. Aunt Mary [Levering] came up. 
Oct. 11. C. S. Sargent and wife came up and dined 
with us. 

Oct. 18. Foliage of oaks is generally thought to be the 
finest for many years. 

Nov. 5. Taking in rhododendrons. 

Nov. 7. Went to the city with mother to see " Stra- 
della " at the Bijou. 

Nov. 12. Isabella sails to-day from Liverpool in the 
Adriatic for New York. 

Nov. 19. Left for New York with mother to meet Isa- 
bella and family, who returned from Europe with 
Mr. and Mrs. F. Merriam, reaching New York the 
twenty-first. 

138 



Nov. 20. Servants moved to city. Length of resi- 
dence, six months, twenty-three days. 

Nov. 23. Returned from New York with Isabella and 
children, and came to house in town. 

Nov. 28. Went up to Wellesley with mother. Finish- 
ing up work on the lawn. 

Dec. 4. Went up to Wellesley with mother, lunched 
with Louisa. 

Dec. 15. Went up to Wellesley. Sowed grass-seed on 
lawn. 

Dec. 25. Christmas day. Our Golden Wedding! 
Frank, Henry, Walter and wife, Arthur and wife, 
Isabella and Jenny with their husbands, dined with 
us. 

Dec. 28. Had Whist Club at dinner: P. Grant, F. 
Bradlee, J. L. Stackpole, W. H. Prescott, Dr. [F. 
P.] Sprague, H. Whitwell, J. Peabody, A. Flagg, 
L. Curtis, [E. D.] Boit, and Mr. [S. W.] Rodman. 

Dec. 29. Went up to Wellesley. 

1886 
Jan. 7. Dined at Henry Lee's. 
Jan. 3L Went to drive in open sleigh with mother, 

Julia, Robert, and Hollis. 
Feb. 7. Went a-sleighing and took Charlotte, Jeanie, 

and Susan. 
Feb. 8. Went to Wellesley with Charlotte, Susan, 

Robert, and Hollis and Mary and Walter. 
Feb. 14. Went to see the freshet; southerly end of 

Tremont Street covered with two feet of water. 

139 



Feb. 16 and 22. Went up to Wellesley, with Isabella 
on the sixteenth. 

Feb. 18. Went with the children to see the Japanese 
Exhibition, Horticultural Hall. 

Feb. 24. Left for New York and Florida. Louisa and 
Charlotte joined us at Washington, and we left there 
on March 3 for Jacksonville. 

March 30. Arrived home from our trip to Florida. 

April 1 and 9. Went up to Wellesley, with Louisa on 
the ninth. Moving out hollies. 

April 1 1 . Went to drive with mother in buggy. 

April 16. Went up to Wellesley with Louisa in her car- 
riage. Thermometer 75°. 

April 17. Had the family to dine to-day to meet Miss 
Mary B. Whitney, Henry's intended; Walter and 
Jennie, Arthur and Jeanie, Isabella and Bob, Jenny 
Sargent and Frank, Henry, Frank, and little Hollis; 
fourteen in all. 

April 23. Went to Wellesley and planted catalpa trees 
by roadside in front of Darling Place. Transplant- 
ing rhododendrons from pits. Louisa, with little 
Hollis and Charlotte, left us yesterday for New York 
to sail on the twenty-fifth in the Etruria for England. 

April 25. Went up to Wellesley. 

April 28. Moved up to Wellesley. 

May 8. F. W. H. moved up from Philadelphia in time 
for the wedding.' 

May 10. All ready for the great event. The wedding- 
day of our youngest son, Henry Sargent Hunnewell, 

^This entry is in F. W. H.'s liandwriting. 

140 



to the Roxhury belle, Miss Mary Bowditch Whitney. 
Beautiful morning! Hurrah, boys! Three cheers! 

May II. Planted eighteen Douglas firs over in Sar- 
gent's wood-lot. 

May 1 5. Drove over to Sherborn. 

May 19. F. W. Hunnewell elected Director of C, B. 
and Q. Railroad. 

May 25. Have put up Conservatory awning and azalea 
awning the past week, and the azaleas are now in 
their prime. 

May 26. Put up rhododendron tent. 

May 27. Henry sailed from Quebec in the Parisian 
with his bride. 

May 29. Rhododendrons in the borders in full blossom 
— a good week earlier than usual. 

June 4. A beautiful day. Had Humane Society Trus- 
tees at dinner: Dr. [C] Homans, Dr. [J. C] War- 
ren, J. C. Joy, H. A. Whitney, H. Lee, J. Rogers, 
A. Lawrence, Dr. [G. E.] Ellis, Rev. Brooke Her- 
ford, Dr. [Asa] Gray, B. P. Cheney, Dr. Walcott, 
mother and Isabella; fifteen in all. Rhododen- 
drons in tent in their prime. Those in borders be- 
ginning to fade a little, but made most splendid show 
we have ever had. 

June II. Crowds here to see rhododendrons. 

June 19. Took off north side rhododendron tent. 

June 29. Frank, as usual, says it is a very extraor- 
dinary season; very cool, he thinks. 

July 7. Thermometer 95 sixth and seventh. 

July 9. Left for Saratoga Springs. 

141 



July 31. Returned from Saratoga and Catskill Moun- 
tains, having been absent over three weeks, passing 
the last four days at the mountains. 

Aug. 17. Father and mother left for the White Moun- 
tains. F. W. H. keeping house. No one in Welles- 
ley.' 

Aug. 3 1 . Returned from the Glen. Arthur and Jeanie, 
Bob and Isabella with their children, came home 
with us. 

Sept. 6. Henry and his bride arrived this evening from 
Europe, having been absent some three months on 
their wedding trip. 

Sept. 7. Went to Dr. [Charles] Homans's funeral. 

Sept. 15. Trenched over a large portion of the swamp, 
filling it up with rhododendrons. Commenced build- 
ing a new greenhouse on north side of what we have 
called Cordon Peach House; one end is for an odon- 
toglossum house and the other for half-hardy palms 
and orange trees, to be used instead of one built in 
1877. 

Sept. 20. Frank started for the West to look after C, 
B. and Q. 

Oct. 2. Orange trees, etc., have moved into winter 
quarters. Our friend Dr. Geo. E. Ellis left us after 
a very pleasant week's visit. 

Oct. 4. Louisa and the children returned from Europe; 
all well. 

Oct. 16. Taking up rhododendrons. Sir Lyon and 
Lady Playfair at Isabella's. 

' This entry is in F. W. H. 's handwriting. 

142 



Oct. 27. Director Hunnewell returned from the West 
after spending some weeks on the C, B. and Q. 
Railroad system. Going as far north as St. Paul; 
west, Denver; south, Santa Fe; much pleased with 
his trip.' 

Nov. (5. Moved out plants from Conservatory. Trench- 
ing over part of lawn near rustic summer-house. 

Nov. 9. Took in hollies. 

Nov. 22. Put azaleas in barn cellar. Widening main 
road opposite lower lodge, to build stone wall on 
south side, not wanting to cut down hemlocks near 
the edge, and put on iron railing. Thinning out 
plantation near Rockery and azalea garden. 

Nov. 25. Thanksgiving day. Rainy day. Jenny Sar- 
gent and Frank dined with us. 

Nov. 29. Walter moved to the city. 

Nov. 30. Arthur moved to the city. 

Dec. 2. Moved to the city. Length of residence, seven 
months, four days. 

Dec. 8 and 1 2. Went up to Wellesley with mother, and 
lunched with Jenny Sargent. 

Dec. 17. Went up to Wellesley, and lunched with 
Jenny Sargent. 

Dec. 22. Went up to Wellesley with mother, and passed 
the night with Louisa. Attended the ordination 
services at the Unitarian Church, South Natick, of 
the Rev. Mr. Badger. 

Dec. 25. Christmas day. Very pleasant. Had our 
usual Christmas dinner. Present: Louisa, Char- 

' This entry is in F. W. H. "s handwriting. 

143 



lotte and Hollis, jr., Frank, Arthur and Jeanie and 
their children, Isabella, Jeanie, Julia and Willie Pat- 
ten, Walter and Jennie and their children, Mary, 
Walter, and Frank, Isabella and Bob and their chil- 
dren, Susan, Robert, and Hollis, Henry and his wife, 
making in all twenty-five. Heard this morning of 
the birth of another granddaughter, Jenny Sar- 
gent's, at twenty minutes past twelve o'clock at 
night. [Alice.] 

1887 

Jan. 3. Had our Whist Club to dine; present: P. 
Grant, F. Bradlee, J. L. Stackpole, J. Peabody, N. 
Thayer, H. Whitwell, A. Flagg, Dr. [F. P.] Sprague, 
Lewis Dabney, Mr. [C. B.] Fessenden, and Frank. 

Jan. 4. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 14. Returned from a visit of eight days to New 
York with mother. 

Jan. 18. Went up to Wellesley. Snow very deep, and 
all the men at work clearing off snow from hedge 
and off evergreens. 

Jan. 19. Thermometer at Wellesley 20° below zero. 

Jan. 21. Drove out to Brookline; called on C. S. Sar- 
gent. 

Jan. 22 and 28. Went up to Wellesley with mother. 

March 1. Returned from our trip South with Annah 
Curtis, having gone as far south as Savannah, and 
having been absent three weeks and three days. 

March 8 and 1 4. Went up to Wellesley, with mother on 
the fourteenth. 

144 



March 21. Went up to Wellesley with mother, and 

lunched at Louisa's. 
March 24 and April 6. Went up to Wellesley. 

April 4. Went to North Easton with F. L. Ames and 
J. M. Sears. 

April 22. Frank returned from his trip to California. 
Went up to Wellesley. 

April 28. Moved up to Wellesley. 

May 3. Moving half-hardy rhododendrons from pit. 
Received a telegram this morning from Henry an- 
nouncing the birth of a little daughter [Christiana 
Sargent], our twentieth grandchild. 

May 7. Planting half-hardy rhododendrons in tent. 

May 9. Planted half-hardy rhododendrons in swamp. 

May 15. Put up Conservatory tent. 

May 23. Put azaleas in tent. 

June 2. Put up rhododendron tent. 

June 3. Had the Humane Society to dine; present: 

A. Lawrence, H. Lee, J. C. Rogers, J. L. Gardner, 

B. W. Crowninshield, C. W. Amory, H. A. Whitney, 
Dr. [G. E.] Ellis, L. Saltonstall, P. Grant, Tom Mot- 
ley, F. L. Ames, and Frank; fourteen in all. It was 
a very pleasant day. 

June 5. Rhododendrons looking finely, both in borders 
and in tent. 

June 6. Had a reception of the Agricultural Club, six- 
teen members, prominent officers of the Massachu- 
setts Horticultural Society, and other friends, — 
some sixty gentlemen in all. 

145 



June 8. Crowds of people visiting the place. 

June 10. Went to C. S. Sargent's to dine with Agricul- 
tural Club. 

June 23. Took off portion of rhododendron tent. 

July 4. Fireworks at Walter's. 

July 8. Went down to Nahant with mother and passed 
the day with Aunt Mary [Levering]. 

Aug. 1 1. Returned home from a week's visit to Jenny 
Sargent's at Wareham. 

Aug. 23. An abundance of rain. The season is a re- 
markable one. 

Aug. 28. Isabella confined of a boy this morning at 
half-past six. [Arthur Hunnewell.] 

Sept. 15. Jenny Sargent and family returned from 
Wareham. 

Sept. 23. Dr. Geo. E. Ellis left after passing five days 
with us. 

Sept. 24. Moved in orange trees, azaleas, etc., also 
took up several rhododendrons and potted them in 
boxes. 

Sept. 27. Putting rhododendrons in the pits. 

Oct. 2. Trenching ground easterly side of first En- 
trance Avenue. 

Oct. 9. The finest autumnal foliage we have ever seen. 

Oct. 17. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis passed the day with us. 

Nov. 4. The hollies and last of half-hardy rhododen- 
drons taken in. Finished trenching Pinetum near 
lower avenue. 

Nov. 23. Arthur and Jenny Sargent moved to the city. 

146 



Nov. 24. Thanksgiving. Dined at Isabella's. 

Nov. 30. Moved to the city, leaving Isabella and fam- 
ily at Wellesley. Length of residence, seven months, 
two days. 

Dec. 16. Went up to Wellesley and lunched with Isa- 
bella. 

Dec. 25. Christmas dinner. Had Isabella and hus- 
band, Jenny and husband, Frank and Louisa to dine. 

Dec. 31. Went up to Wellesley. Isabella and children 
skating on the river. 

1888 

Jan. 8. Had my Whist Club: [P.] Grant, [J.] Pea- 
body, [W. H.] Prescott, [L.] Dabney, [L.] Curtis, 
[F. P.] Sprague, [A.] Flagg, E. D. Boit, jr., and 
Frank. 

Jan. 11. Went up to Wellesley. Coasted with Isa- 
bella's boys. 

Jan. 24. Thermometer 19' below zero at Wellesley. 

Feb. 2. Dr. Asa Gray's funeral. Went out to drive in 
the sleigh with mother. 

Feb. 8. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 12. Drove out with Jennie Peele. 

Feb. 25. Went up to Wellesley twice during the week 
with mother. 

March 4. Went out to C. S. Sargent's with mother. 

March 7. Went to Wellesley with mother, passing the 
day with Isabella. Cold and windy. Returning 
home in the evening, mother was not well. 

147 



March 13. A furious snow-storm yesterday here in 
Boston and much worse in New York; thought to 
be the most severe we have had for many years. 
No trains or telegrams from New York as yet. 

March 14. More snow, — about one foot here and over 
three feet in New York and New Jersey. 

March 24. Went up to Wellesley and saw Isabella. 
Quite a freshet at Wellesley, owing to rain. 

April 1 9. Moved up to Wellesley. 

April 22. Henry, Mamy, and Walter drove up from 
Boston. 

April 26. Aunt Mary [Lovering] and Hortense [Head] 
here. Moved out half-hardy rhododendrons into 
the swamp. Next year will put them out a fort- 
night earlier if possible. 

May 4. Went to funeral of Jenny Sargent's little Alice. 

May 8. Put plants into Conservatory. 

May 12. Very busy replanting rhododendrons in bor- 
ders; they had become very crowded. Moved some 
to swamp. 

May 18. Put up Conservatory tent. 

May 28. Jeanie Boit and Frank say it is the most extra- 
ordinary weather ever known. Put azaleas in the 
tent to-day. 

June 2. Put up rhododendron tent. 

June 7. Dear mother passed away quietly this morn- 
. ing at five minutes of two o'clock, and the beloved 
wife has found rest at last! 

June 9. Dear mother's funeral. Beautiful summer's 
day. 

148 



June 16. Rhododendrons have made a magnificent 
show. 

June 20. Took down rhododendron tent. 

June 23. We have had two days of extreme hot 
weather; some say the hottest ever experienced in 
June. Thermometer 90 to 91 here and 97' in 
Boston. 

July 2. Jenny Sargent moved to Wareham to-day. 
July 4. Robert. HoIIis, and Walter camped out under 

a tent near the house. 
July 9. Returned from a short visit to Wareham with 

Isabella and Theodore. 

July 22. Jenny Sargent came up to pass Sunday with 
us. 

July 25. Isabella moved to Buzzard's Bay. 

July 28. Had fire in blue-room, thermometer 50° to 55° 

mornings. Frank says it is the most extraordinary 

summer he ever knew. 
Aug. 4. Returned from a visit to Buzzard's Bay. 
Aug. 5. Mr. Mott dined here. 
Aug. 13. Returned after a few days' visit to Nahant 

and Beverly. 
Aug. 1 6. Expect to leave to-morrow for Dublin to make 

Walter a visit. 
Aug. 21. Returned from a visit of four days to Walter 

at Dublin. 

Sept. 3. Returned from a visit of ten days to Ware- 
ham and Buzzard's Bay. 

Sept. 8. Isabella and Henry moved up from Buzzard's 
Bay. 

149 



Sept. 25. Moved in palms and orange trees. 

Sept. 28. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis left after a four days' visit. 

Oct. 7. Foliage of red maples in their prime and look- 
ing finely. 

Oct. 11. Isabella moved to 130 Beacon Street. 

Oct. 15. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis passed the day with me. 

Oct. 16. At work enlarging holes of conifers in the 
Pinetum, among them Abies alcocquiana, blue- 
white spruce, Douglas spruce at foot of asphalt walk, 
and trenched over a large portion of it. 

Oct. 22. Went down to Brookline and passed the day 

with C. S. Sargent. 
Oct. 24. Began yesterday to move in rhododendrons. 

Oct. 28. It seems to be the general opinion that the 
autumn has been stormy to a most extraordinary de- 
gree. 

Oct. 31 . The Duke of Westminster's gardener here. 

Nov. 4. Isabella and Susan drove up from Boston and 
dined with us. 

Nov. 8. C. S. Sargent and wife here. 

Nov. 1 1. Isabella drove up. 

Nov. 15. Henry moved to the city yesterday, and 
Jenny Sargent to-day, in a bad rain-storm. 

Nov. 18. Isabella and Annah Curtis drove up from 
Boston and dined with me. 

Nov. 23. Jenny Sargent came up from Boston. 

Nov. 29. Thanksgiving day. Cloudy and rainy in 
afternoon. Dined at Walter's. 

150 



Dec. 1. Moved to the city, also Walter and family. 

Length of residence, seven months, eleven days. 
Dec. 15. Returned home after a visit of three days at 

Louisa's at Wellesley. Isabella returned from New 

York. 
Dec. 25. Christmas day. Very mild and pleasant. 

Had a Christmas-tree for the grandchildren, which 

they enjoyed very much. 

1889 
Jan. 2. No snow since Nov. 25. 
Jan. 9. A great deal said about the extraordinarily 

mild weather. 
Jan. 15. Went up to Wellesley with Aim6e Sargent. 
Jan. 18. Passed the day at Wellesley and lunched with 

Louisa. 
Jan. 21. Snow-storm last night. First since Nov. 25. 
Jan. 25 and Feb. 2. Went up to Wellesley. Pond 

frozen a little, not enough to bear. 
Feb. 8 and 16. Went up to Wellesley. Lunched with 

Louisa on the eighth; went up with Mr. [G. M.J 

Barnard on the sixteenth. 
Feb. 21. Went up to Mr. Ingersoll Bowditch's funeral. 
Feb. 22. Passed the day at Wellesley. 
Feb. 23. H.A.Whitney's funeral. 
Feb. 28. Went to North Easton with C. S. Sargent and 

Aimee Sargent to see Mr. [F. L.] Ames's orchids. 
March 1 1 . Returned from a visit of four to five days 

to New York with Bob and Isabella. 

151 



March 16, 22, and 30. Went up to Wellesley. Lunched 
with Louisa on the twenty-second. 

April 4. Fast-day. Went up to Wellesley with Isa- 
bella's boys. 

April 1 1 . Moved up to Wellesley all alone. 

April 12. Moved out hollies. 

April 19. Isabella and Susan came up and dined with 
me. 

April 22. Took out azaleas from cellar. 

April 25. Walter, Jenny Sargent, and Henry moved up. 

April 26. Susan staying with me. 

May 9. Put up tent by Conservatory, nine days earlier 

than 1888. 
May 10. Wistaria on the house is very handsome this 

year. 

May 1 2. It is said that the tenth was the hottest day in 
Boston (90°) so early in the season for nineteen 
years — since 1870. 

May 15. Put up azalea tent. 

May 20. Mr. and Mrs. C. Head and two little girls ar- 
rived. 

May 21 . Henry Jackson Sargent born. 

May 22. Azaleas in their prime, both Indian and Ghent. 

May 27. Did not put up a canvas this year on the half- 
hardies. Hortense Head with her children left me 
to-day after a week's visit. J. Storey Fay, Mr. and 
Mrs. Cobb, and Judge [Josiah G.] Abbott here. 

May 28. Went down to Brookline. 

152 



May 29. C. Merriam, Wallace Pratt, and F. L. Ames 
here. Place looking finely, — rhododendrons in 
their prime. 

June 2. Great crowds to see azaleas and rhododen- 
drons. 

June 3. Frank engaged to Gertrude Sturgis. 

June 9. Kalmias in full bloom and very fine. Moved 
a good many half-hardy rhododendrons in the shel- 
tered nook opposite lower lodge to test their hardi- 
ness. [For particulars, refer to article on Rhodo- 
dendrons under same date.] 

June 10. Took down azalea tent. 

June 1 1. Mr. P. Grant making me a little visit. Did 
not put up the rhododendron tent this year. 

June 15. Mr. Grant, who has been passing the week 
with me, left. 

June 22. Louisa, Mollis, and Charlotte sailed for Liver- 
pool. 

July I . Cousin Ellen Townsend staying with me since 
June 18. 

July 4. Children and grandchildren played baseball. 

July 15. Cousin Ellen Townsend left me. White pine 
trees badly sunburnt in many cases, about half the 
needles on this year's growth affected, and the cause 
cannot be explained. A little anxiety felt that the 
injury may be serious. 

July 16. After an absence of six years, 1 am much 
gratified by a visit from my son John. 

July 27. Returned with John from a visit of a week to 
Jenny Sargent. 

153 



Aug. 9. Returned from a trip to Center Harbor and 
Maplewood with John and Isabella. 

Aug. 15. Rain! Rain! Rain! Fire in the blue-room! 
The whole family, including John, say it is the most 
extraordinarily wet summer they ever experienced. 

Aug. 16. Jenny Sargent passing the day with me. 

Aug. 21. Returned with John from a visit of four or 
five days at Uncle [J. S.] Lovering's, Nahant. 

Aug. 23. John measured the oak tree on the lawn for 
the fifth time, having measured it for the first time 
twenty-eight years ago.^ [See article on Trees un- 
der same date.] 

Aug. 24. Transplanted a few evergreens. Planted a 
Sciadopitys verticillata and a Taxus cuspidata just 
east side of house, opposite Japanese maples. 

Aug. 29. Frank's wedding-day! Went down to Man- 
chester, where the great event took place, and he was 
married to Miss Gertrude G. Sturgis. A very happy 
occasion for us all. 

Aug. 31. John sailed for Havre. 

Sept. 3. Went to New York with Isabella and family, 
who sailed the fourth in the Lahn for Bremen. 

Sept. 14. Returned home, having made visits to Hor- 
tense Head at Lake Champlain and Winthrop Sar- 
gent at Wodenethe. 

Sept. 21. At work extending Italian garden about fifteen 
feet towards Rockery and boat-house, planted four 
trees, — beech, arbor-vitae, Retinospora squarrosa 
and obtusa, eighteen feet high. Enlarged very con- 

' This entry is in J. W. H.'s handwriting. 

154 




> 



t 



'^ 



siderably the holes of several trees in the Pinetum, 
particularly the Abies citicica near the blue spruce 
(cut down) and Retinospora squarrosa. 

Sept. 28. Have moved in tender plants and taken down 
Conservatory tent. Frank and his bride returned 
from their wedding-trip yesterday, and I am de- 
lighted to have them with me. 

Oct. 3. Red maples looking finely. 

Oct. 14. Blossom buds of several rhododendrons 
showing color; the first time it has ever occurred in 
my experience. 

Left out to test hardiness the following rhododen- 
drons: at Rockery, 11; at swamp, 71; at statue 
border, 39. [For particulars, refer to article on 
Rhododendrons under same date.] 

Oct. 20. Forsythia suspensa by the lower lodge has a 
few blossoms, also Spircea thunber^ii at Walter's. 
First time such a thing has been experienced in my 
fifty years of horticultural life. 

Oct. 24. Arthur and family left for New York and 
Havre. 

Oct. 26. C. S. Sargent and wife and F. L. Ames here. 
Went up to see Henry's new house and Walter's 
chrysanthemums. 

Oct. 31. At work still enlarging holes of conifers in 
Pinetum, also cutting down trees where too near to- 
gether — two very large white maples near summer- 
house and purple beech. 

Nov. 9. At work changing path near the summer- 
house. 

155 



Nov. 14. There is no doubt this is the most extraor- 
dinarily mild season we have had for years. I have 
no recollection of anything of the kind. Thermom- 
eter 65°. 

Nov. 26. At work enlarging Rockery near azalea 
garden. 

Nov. 28. Thanksgiving day. Heavy rain, but quite 
warm. Dined at Walter's. Went to the city in the 
afternoon with Walter to see the great fire in Kings- 
ton, Bedford, and Chauncy Streets. 

Nov. 29. Frank and Gertrude left me after a pleasant 
visit of nearly two months. 

Nov. 30. Henry came up, and I passed the forenoon 
with him, marking trees to be cut down. 

Dec. 3. Moved to the city in rain and sleet. Length of 
residence, seven months, twenty-two days. 

Dec. 12. Leave to-morrow for New York to meet 
Louisa and Charlotte. 

Dec. 17. Returned from New York with Louisa and 
Charlotte. 

Dec. 25. Christmas day. Mild and very pleasant. 
Thermometer 65°. Frank and Gertrude, Henry 
and Mamy, Walter, Frank and Jenny Sargent, Willie 
Patten, Louisa and Charlotte dined with me. 

Dec. 28. Grippe, the fashionable complaint, and much 
talked about in this country and in the newspapers. 

Dec. 29. Jennie Peele confined of a boy yesterday 
[Arnold Welles]. Our twenty-first grandchild. 

1890 

Jan. 7. The death-rate much increased lately, and 
causes a great deal of anxiety in the community. 

156 



Jan. 16. Louisa's ball for Charlotte came off last 
evening. 

Jan. 19. Jenny's boy, Henry Jackson Sargent, chris- 
tened. 

Jan. 20. Had Whist Club to dinner: F. W. Brad- 
lee, [H.J Whitwell, J. Peabody, Dr. [F. P.] 
Sprague, Lewis Dabney, J. L. Stackpole, Dick 
Parker, [H. F.] Sears, Dan Dwight, and Frank as 
guests. 

Jan. 29. Went up to Wellesley, and enjoyed it much. 
Pond frozen over and college girls skating. One 
laslia had forty-five flowers, fifteen spikes. Henry 
and Mamy, Frank and Gertrude, with Walter, dined 
with us. 

Feb. 3. Went up to Wellesley and walked about the 
place. 

Feb. 11, 13, and 17. Went up to Wellesley. ice nearly 
all gone from pond on the eleventh. 

Feb. 20. First sleighing this winter. Went down to 
Easton with Mr. [F. L.] Ames and C. S. Sargent to 
see the orchids; a grand show. 

Feb. 22. Went up to Wellesley. Pond frozen over 
entirely with six to eight inches of ice. 

March 4,10,1 7, 22, and 24. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 5. Mamy confined this morning of a fine nine- 
pound boy. He died the fourteenth. [Henry 
Sargent.] 

March 15. Dear Gertrude died this morning, twenty 
minutes of one o'clock. Funeral on the eighteenth, 
at the Church of the Advent. 

157 



April 1. Moved up to Wellesley with Jenny Sargent 
and family. (From 130 Beacon Street.) This is 
the earliest day we have ever moved up. 

Aprfl 10. Busy moving rhododendrons. 

April 14. Moving out hollies and rhododendrons from 
pits. 

April 18. Have finished the rearrangement of our 
hardy rhododendron garden. Moved the path three 
to four feet to give room for the kalmias. 

April 29. Weeping cherry back of house in full blos- 
som these last two or three days, very handsome. 
Sent to Vincent Fair a fine lot of orchids, etc., some 
long sprays of Forsythia suspensa, which has been 
in blossom on lower lodge for several days past. 

May 2. Went down to Brookline and made C. S. Sar- 
gent a visit. 

May 3. Frank here passing a couple of days with us. 
Little Christine's third birthday; planted a Douglas 
spruce near the stable at new house. 

May 8. Very busy moving big pines and hemlocks up 
to Henry's. One hemlock was forty feet high, one 
arbor-vitse thirty feet. 

May 17. Put up azalea tent. 

May 20. Cut down the Norway spruce in front of 
beech tree on the lawn near balustrade, but with 
some hesitation and reluctance. 1 doubt not, how- 
ever, that it will prove ultimately a great improve- 
ment. 

May 27. Have been busy for several days past rear- 
ranging some of the trees in the Italian garden, 

158 



where they were becoming too crowded. Azalea 
tent looking finely. 

May 30. Maud Sturgis here. Attended a Harvard 

College Committee meeting at the Botanical Garden. 
May 31. Sent in fifty named varieties rhododendrons 

to Horticultural Exhibition. 
June 1. C. S. Sargent and wife came up and dined 

with us. Rhododendrons look finely, both in the 

borders and under the tent. 
June 6. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis and Mr. C. Merriam have 

been here. 
June 10. Commenced removing azaleas from tent. 

June 1 1. Very busy at work on my specimen rhodo- 
dendrons in hardy garden enlarging holes with peat 
and leaf-mould. 

June 15. Took off lower part of rhododendron tent. 
Enlarged rhododendron border near oak tree, and 
separated plants, which were very much crowded — 
one large group of whites in the centre of bed. 

June 17. Moved into border by pine-tree Rockery, in 
addition to those there, eleven half-hardies to test. 
[For particulars, refer to article on Rhododendrons 
under same date.] 

June 25. Left for New York to meet Isabella and fam- 
ily, expected to arrive to-morrow in Britannic from 
Liverpool. 

June 28. Returned from New York with Isabella and 
family. 

June 30. Jenny Sargent and family left us for Ware- 
ham. 

159 



July 4. Boys played baseball at Walter's. 

July 10. Jenny Sargent says it has been the most 

extraordinary weather she ever knew. 
July 14. Returned from a little visit to Teresa Merriam 

at Nahant with Isabella. 
July 18. Left for Wareham with Isabella. 
Aug. 9. Made a visit to Wellesley a few days ago from 

Wareham. 

Aug. 21. Gave some eight hundred florists, who held a 
convention in Boston, coming from all parts of the 
country, a reception, which they appreciated highly. 
Had a collation under azalea tent. 

Aug. 22. Daniel Sargent born. 

Aug. 29. Returned home after an absence of six 
weeks at Wareham, where I occupied the Lyman 
Cottage with Isabella and children. Found the 
climate very even in temperature, ranging the whole 
season between 65° and 80°, and generally between 
70° and 75°, so it was very comfortable all the time, 
except when on the water in a catboat in a calm. 
Have brought up a lot of mayflower plants which I 
hope to make grow at Wellesley. Have planted them 
over in the pine woods, east side of main road. 

Sept. 4. Have been at work in Pinetum. [For par- 
ticulars, refer to article on Pinetum under same 
date.] 

Oct. 10. Foliage very fine. At work on avenue by 
Italian garden. 

Oct. 13. Jenny Sargent drove up and passed the day 
with us. 

160 



Oct. 14. Sir Lyon and Lady Play fair and Miss Alice 

Russell lunched with us. 
Oct. 24. Have been planting trees and shmbs on land 

bought of railroad company by the depot. 
Oct. 28. Dr. G. E. Ellis passed the day with me. 
Oct. 29. Unusually wet month of October. Isabella 

much interested in her place and has been planting 

many shrubs, etc., in front of her house by the side 

of the main road. Has commenced foundations for 

the addition to her cottage. 
Nov. 3. Isabella and family left me to-day for 130 

Beacon Street, Boston. 

Nov. 6. Isabella and Bob came up and passed the night 
with me. Cousin Ellen Townsend and Miss Louise 
Graves making me a visit. 

Nov. 10. Received news of the death of Louisa this 
afternoon at [Hotel] Ampersand, Adirondacks, 
where she had been some two months. 

Nov. 21. Isabella and Theodore came up and passed 
the day with me. 

Nov. 27. Thanksgiving day. Cloudy and cold. Wal- 
ter and Jennie, with Walter and Mary, Hollis and 
Charlotte, Frank and Arthur's Isabella, dined with 
me. 

Nov. 28. Pond frozen over. 

Dec. 1 . We moved to the city. Length of residence, 
eight months. Hollis and Charlotte came down with 
me in the ten-o'clock train. 

Dec. 2. Isabella left for New York with Henry and 
Mamy. 

161 



4c 



Dec. 8. Suffering from a bad cold. 

During the year built a stone pavilion, designed 
by Shaw and Hunnewell, with much skill and taste, 
on the higher portion of the upper terrace overlook- 
ing Italian garden and lake. It is highly ornamen- 
tal, and offers a comfortable shelter to visitors for 
admiring scenery not often met with in this part of 
the country. It may be criticised, but nevertheless 
it is the great feature of the place, as testified by 
thousands of visitors, who express their admiration 
of its rare attractions with unqualified enthusiasm. 

1891 

Jan. 2. Ice cut the past week of very good quality, ten 
to twelve inches thick. I have been suffering from 
a bad cold and obstinate cough with other troubles, 
from which 1 am, however, now relieved and able to 
walk out in good weather. 

Jan. 8, 16, 21, and 31. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 13. Isabella left for Asheville. 

Jan. 22. The trees have been heavily loaded with ice 
for several days and much damage done, especially 
to the pines in White Pine Avenue. 

Jan. 25. Isabella returned last evening from her visit 
to Asheville. It looks, so far, as if we were going 
to have an old-fashioned New England winter. 

Feb. 4. Went up to Wellesley with Theodore, and 
lunched with Mamy. 

Feb. 12. Went up to Wellesley. Henry moving into 
his new house some three months later than he ex- 
pected. 

162 



Feb. 14. Went up to Wellesley; lunched with Henry 
in his new house. 

Feb. 21. Isabella up at Henry's making a little visit. 

Feb. 22. Dined at Uncle [J. S.] Lovering's. 

Feb. 27. Returned from a visit of a few days to Henry 
and Mamy at Wellesley, which 1 enjoyed much. 
Notwithstanding that the winter thus far is gener- 
ally considered to have been rather a severe one, 1 
find there has been but a slight injury to the trees 
and shrubs; only some few tender rhododendrons 
have suffered, and none of the conifers. A good 
many white pines have had their limbs broken off 
by the weight of snow and ice. This is very liable 
to occur with this tree, the wood being very brittle, 
and it is to be considered in planting it, especially in 
a very conspicuous place. 

March 4. Bob left yesterday to sail from New York 
for Bremen in the Spree. 

March 7, 17, and 24. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 10. Henry says the bluebirds have appeared in 
Wellesley. Went down to North Easton with [F. 
L.] Ames, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Sargent to see his fine 
collection of orchids, which I enjoyed very much 
indeed. 

March 14. Passed the day at Wellesley; lunched with 
Henry and walked about his place. 

March 27. Went to Wellesley and lunched with Henry. 

April 7. WentontoNewYork for the wedding of grand- 
son Hollis, which took place on the ninth, to Miss 
Maud S. Jafl'ray of Irvington-on-Hudson. 

163 



April 10. Returned from New York yesterday and 
moved up to Wellesley. (Isabella and family com- 
ing to our house with me.) 

April 14. Commenced moving out half-hardies. 

April 19. Forsythia suspensa on lodge in blossom. 

April 20. Finished arranging rhododendrons for the 
tent. 

April 24. Mamy confined of a nine-pound girl this 
morning [Gertrude]. 

May 13. Put up Conservatory awning. 

May 16. Arthur's house destroyed by fire last evening. 

May 19. Put up azalea tent. 

May 28. Put up rhododendron tent. 

May 30. Decoration day, and lots of strangers here 
admiring the flowers. 

June 2. Had the Agricultural Club here this afternoon 
to see the rhododendrons. 

June 5. A lovely summer's day for my Humane So- 
ciety dinner! Abbott Lawrence, B. W. Crownin- 
shield, Dr. [George B.] Shattuck, and J. L. Gardner 
present, with C. F. Adams, Dr. Walcott, Dr. [G. E.] 
Ellis, Dr. [G. J.] Townsend, Arthur, little Isabella, 
and Isabella Shaw; twelve in all for guests. 

June 11. Returned from a little visit to Lenox with 
Isabella and Susan. 

June 12. Took down azalea tent. Turned out of the 
pots about fifty of the plants and planted them in 
the swamp to see if they would not thrive better than 
remaining in the pots all summer. 

164 



June 14. C. S. Sargent and Minnie [Sargent] came 
up and passed the afternoon with us. They ad- 
mired the kalmias very much. 

June 15. Took down rhododendron tent. 

June 23. Went to Dedham with Isabella, and passed 
a couple of hours very pleasantly with General 
[S. M.] Weld. 

July 1. Minnie Guild and Annah Curtis here. Jenny 
Sargent says the same as last year at this time, 
" That it is most extraordinary weather." 

July 4. Boys played baseball as usual, had a tub-race 
in the afternoon and fireworks in the evening. 

July 6. Arthur left for Cotuit and Jenny Sargent for 
Wareham. 

July 12. Cut down two hemlocks by the boat-house 
Rockery, and planted rhododendrons on the bank, 
several tender ones, Mrs. Arthur Hunnewell, Fred- 
erick Waterer, Mrs. R. S. Holford, and others. 

July 16. Went to Maplewood with Cousin Ellen 
Townsend and occupied one of the cottages there. 

July 27. Returned from White Mountains for a few 
days. 

Aug. 4. Returned from a little visit to West Chop, 
Cotuit, and Wareham. 

Aug. 7. Left with Frank for the White Mountains. 

Aug. 17. Came down from Maplewood for two or 
three days' visit. The place looks as fresh and 
green as ever. Continual rainy weather. Have 
been trenching over, these past thirty days, a part of 
the lawn on the edge of avenue (upper lodge) where 

165 



the weeds were very thick, so about the whole of it 
ought now to be in good condition. Arthur and Isa- 
bella at work digging cellars for their new houses. 

Aug. 29. Returned from Maplewood with Isabella and 
Susan. Find the place still looking finely. 

Sept. 6. Have been planting on the bank near lower 
lodge Cryptomeria japonica, Thuya gigantea and 
Thuyopsis dolabrata, also one of the latter in the 
swamp near entrance. 

Sept. 1 1. Have been still at work trenching southerly 
side of lawn. 

Sept. 19. We have been mowing the lawn, and have 
taken in several loads of excellent hay. 

Sept. 23. Working in Pinetum. [For particulars, re- 
fer to article on Pinetum under same date.] 

Oct. 1. Taken in orange trees and palms. Dr. [G. E.] 

Ellis left this morning after a three days' visit. 
Oct. 7. Have taken down Conservatory tent. 

Oct. 10. Sir Lyon and Lady Play fair here, and we en- 
joyed their visit very much indeed. 

Oct. 18. Went up to the end of the Pond Road with 
Susan and Theodore, and saw Lady Playfair go by 
in the cars on her way to New York. 

Oct. 19. Red maples in the swamp and on the shore of 
the pond looking beautifully. Have been at work 
lately, as usual in the autumn, removing the poor 
soil around the conifers in the Pinetum, and replac- 
ing it with good loam, peat, and leaf-mould, so that 
there is now eighteen to thirty inches depth of the 
most fertile soil around all the trees, which ought to 

166 



keep them in a healthy condition for a great length of 
time and make them objects of admiration to every 
lover of the beautiful in nature. 

Oct. 23. We were much surprised on getting up this 
morning to find it snowing quite hard, as we have 
had scarcely sufficient frost thus far to kill tender 
plants. Thermometer 35 ; coldest we have had, and 
there are two or three inches of snow on the ground, 
more than I can recollect ever seeing before so early 
in the season, and it must be acknowledged an ex- 
traordinary circumstance. 

Oct. 27. Frank left us. 

Oct. 29. Thermometer down to 20°, the coldest for so 
early in the season for many years. 

Nov. 1 . Louis Curtis and wife passed the day with us. 
Have removed the groups of shrubs on west side of 
Italian garden, also a clump of hemlocks, and wid- 
ened the gravel walk leading to summer-house. 

Nov. 8. Have been putting in foundations for a new 
granite balustrade to replace a wooden one on walk 
from main avenue to rustic summer-house, enclos- 
ing Italian garden on the west, and being desirous 
that all improvements shall be of a permanent char- 
acter to make the expenses in the future as light as 
possible. Trenching over some of the lawn, in the 
hopes of getting rid of some of the weeds. 

Nov. 13. Annah Curtis passing the day with us. 

Nov. 1 6. Isabella left for the city [ 1 30 Beacon Street] . 

Nov. 21. Moved to the city. Length of residence, 
seven months, ten days. 

167 



Nov. 26. Thanksgiving day. To dinner, had Walter, 
Jennie Peele with four of their children, Arthur and 
wife and his four daughters, Willie and Jenny Pat- 
ten and Charlotte; sixteen in all. They all danced 
in the evening, and had a very gay time. 

Nov. 28. Went up to Wellesley for the second time 
since I moved in. Men still at work trenching the 
lawn. 

Dec. 2. Isabella, with Henry and his wife, went on to 
New York. 

Dec. 10. Went up to Wellesley. Men still trenching. 

Dec. 14. The mild and pleasant weather continues, 
and is the occasion of many remarks. I went up to 
Wellesley this morning, and was much interested in 
watching the men blow up big stumps with dyna- 
mite. It was a very successful experiment, some 
twenty stumps being torn to pieces with the greatest 
ease. 

Dec. 22. Gave a ball to our "Granddaughter Buds," 
which went off very well and was thought a grand 
success; about one hundred and eighty present, 
mostly very young folks. Present: Arthur's three 
daughters, Isabella, Jeanie and Julia, Walter's Mary 
and Susan W. Shaw. 

Dec. 25. Christmas day. Cloudy, but mild. Had a 
very enjoyable Christmas gathering. The very 
young grandchildren came at four o'clock for the 
Christmas-tree; present: Walter, Frank, Willard, 
and Arnold, Hollis, Theodore, and Arthur Shaw 
(Robert ill with the grippe), Jenny Sargent's four 
children, — Jane, Frank, Harry, and Daniel. At 

168 



dinner we had eighteen at the large table, — Isa- 
bella and Bob, Walter and wife, Arthur and wife 
with Isabella, Jeanie, Julia, Willie and Jenny Patten, 
Henry and wife, Frank, Jenny Sargent and hus- 
band, and Charlotte. At a small table were Susan, 
Mary, Margaret, Walter, and Hollis. In the even- 
ing all joined in dancing Virginia reel, and had a 
very jolly time. Henry's Christine was not present, 
neither was Hollis. 
Dec. 28. Went up to Wellesley. 



1892 

Jan. 5. We all agree we have had an unusually mild 
and pleasant winter thus far, still it is not thought to 
be a healthy season, and many complaining of the 
grippe. Mrs. Bryant [housekeeper], not having 
been very well lately, left us this morning, to our 
great regret, for a sea voyage to the Windward 
Islands. 

Jan. 6. Went last evening to the Arlington Street 
Church's reception to Rev. Brooke Herford, on the 
occasion of his resignation as pastor of our church, 

Jan. 12. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 23. Isabella went to Hammond's Pond with 
Susan and Theodore skating. 

Jan. 24. Isabella's boys went to Wellesley to skate on 
the pond. 

Jan. 25. Went up to Wellesley. Boiler in palm-house 
gave out, and we have put up four stoves until we 
can get a new one from New York. 'T is said a 

169 



boiler cannot be counted upon for a longer period 
than twelve years' service. 

Jan. 30. Isabella returned last evening from a short 
visit to New York. 

Feb. 10. Went up to Wellesley with Bob and Isabella. 

Feb. 14. Went up to Wellesley with Isabella and her 
boys, and had a grand sleigh-ride. Lunched at 
Henry's with Walter and Jennie and Frank and 
Jenny Sargent, and had a grand time. 

March 6. I went up to Wellesley Friday, where there 
were some twelve to eighteen inches of snow on the 
ground. Drove to Brookline, and lunched with C. 
S. Sargent. 

March 17. I went down to North Easton on Saturday 
with F. L. Ames to see his orchids, and since then 
have kept the house, with some indications of grippe, 
but have fortunately escaped. 

March 18. Isabella had a dinner-party last evening: 
Mr. and Mrs. L. Curtis, Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Apple- 
ton, Dr. [Frederick C] Shattuck and wife, Mr. and 
Mrs. [Henry S.] Howe, and Cousin Aimee Sargent. 

March 27. Lunched at C. S. Sargent's, Brookline. 

March 29. Went up to Wellesley. 

April 3. Transcript says thermometer went up to 77°. 

April 6. I moved up to Wellesley. 

April 7. Isabella came up and passed the day with me. 

April 8. At work on granite parapet wall to replace 
wooden balustrade on south side of Italian garden. 

April 9. Have been moving some hemlocks at entrance 
to give room for a fine beech to develop. 

170 



April 14. Jenny Sargent and family moved up. 

April 21. At work planting trees at New Convalescent 
Home, — sixty white pines, twenty-four sugar- 
maples, and others. 

April 24. Charlotte making us a visit. 

May 6. Have been very busy thinning out hardy rho- 
dodendrons where they were too thick. Planted 
out half-hardies in rhododendron tent. 

May 14. Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Shaw and Annah Curtis 
making us a visit. 

May 15. Put up Conservatory tent. 

May 17. Put up azalea tent. Mrs. T. B. Curtis mak- 
ing us a visit. 

May 21. Wistaria in bloom, ten days later than last 
year. Drove up to Sherborn on the nineteenth with 
Annah Curtis to see the apple trees, which were in 
full blossom. 

May 22." Mr. and Mrs. George I.yman at Henry's. 

May 29. Mr. and Mrs. F. Merriam with their daughters 
making us a visit. 

June 6. Drove down to Brookline with Isabella to see 
C. S. Sargent's azaleas and rhododendrons. 

June 7. C. S. Sargent and Miss R. Simpkins here. 

June 9. Rhododendrons in fine condition. 

June 1 1. Charles and Hortense [Head] came to make 
us a visit. 

June 14. Thermometer 90° on our piazza and 94° in 
Boston. 

June 1(1. Dedication of the Convalescent Home at 
Wellesley Hills. 

171 



June 19. Went down to Quincy with Dr. [G. E.] Ellis 
and Mr. [B. P.] Cheney, and passed the day with 
C. F. Adams. 

June 26. Commenced watering rhododendrons with 
weak liquid manure. Isabella gone to West Chop 
to see about accommodations there. Did not put 
up the rhododendron tent this year; I wanted to get 
a good strong growth, as I find the wood made in 
the shade under the canvas is weak and the flowers 
small, and I propose leaving out next winter many 
of what we termed half-hardies. The past winter 
has been hard on rhododendrons; a good many hav- 
ing the foliage browned and some branches killed. 
A few of the half-hardies, which had been out two 
years, badly injured. [For particulars, refer to 
article on Rhododendrons under same date.] 

July 3. Moved fourteen rhododendrons into the rho- 
dodendron garden by the stable. [For particulars, 
refer to article on Rhododendrons under same date.] 

July 4. Quite cool and pleasant. Boys played base- 
ball as usual, and the fireworks were as usual in the 
evening. 

July 8. Isabella left for West Chop. 

July 10. Went down to Brookline, and stayed over- 
night with C. S. Sargent. Visited Arnold Arbore- 
tum and Franklin Park. 

July 13. Went to the city. 

July 18. Moved to West Chop, and occupied a small 
cottage, intending to remain there four or five weeks. 

172 



July 28. Hotter than ever here at West Chop, ther- 
mometer 87°, and 1 begin to doubt if I am so much 
better off here than if 1 had remained at Wellesley. 

July 29. Left for Wareham on a short visit to Jenny 
Sargent. 

Aug. 3. Frank here. 

Aug. 10. Went up to Wellesley yesterday and passed 
the night. Found things looking remarkably well in 
spite of the hot weather. Foliage of the trees fresh 
and green as in June. It is noticed that the foliage 
has been unusually dense and healthy for the past 
three or four years, resembling the English. 

Aug. 1 1. Received intelligence of the birth at Welles- 
ley of my first great-grandchild, Maud having been 
confined of a daughter [Louisa Bronson]. Henry 
with Mamy and their two daughters making me a 
visit here at West Chop. 

Aug. 13. The rain-storm yesterday was very heavy — 
2.30 inches reputed in Boston to have fallen, most 
of it in half an hour. 

Aug. 21. Cousin Ellen Townsend has been with me 
the past week. 

Aug. 26. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis left after passing four days 
with us, entertaining the family as usual with his 
wonderful conversational powers on all subjects, 
which astonish and instruct all who listen to him. 

Aug. 27. Returned to Wellesley after a visit to West 
Chop of five weeks and five days. 

Aug. 31. Jenny Sargent confined of a fine girl, nine 
and a half pounds [Margaret Williams]. 

173 



Sept. 4. Have been very busy since I came home thin- 
ning out rhododendrons and enlarging purple beech 
border (east end near avenue), and the statue 
border, so called. Yesterday Isabella and a portion 
of her family returned from West Chop [to Man- 
sion House]. 

Sept. 9. Young Arthur Veitch of London passed the 
day here, and was much pleased with the place. 
Thought the Italian garden finer than anything of 
the kind in England at the present moment. 

Sept. 18. Have been at work digging around the sin- 
gle rhododendrons, as you come up the avenue near 
the three sugar-maples, the roots of which and the 
acacia run into the balls of the rhododendrons and 
absorb all the moisture, even when watered fre- 
quently; this ought to be attended to, certainly, 
every two years, cutting off all the roots of the trees. 
Have also been engaged in improving the shrubs, 
etc., on the terraces directly in back of house. These 
terraces were originally composed almost entirely of 
gravel, and it has been a great job to remove it and 
replace it with good material, especially around the 
maximum rhododendrons. Have planted a variety 
of shrubs, — kalmias, hydrangea paniculatas, thorns, 
etc. Have also replaced the wooden balustrade 
in front of the house with granite, so as to make 
a permanent improvement and less expense in 
future. 

Sept. 24. I have here F. Waterer, son of John Waterer, 
who was very much interested in the place, espe- 
cially my rhododendrons and conifers. 

174 



Sept. 28. Went to Cohasset and dined with B. C. 

Clark. Had a very pleasant time. Present: Dr. 

[G. E.] KIlis, Governor [A. H.] Rice, [M. P.] 

Kennard, [M.] Brimmer, B. G. Smith, and [J. C.J 

Davis. 
Sept. 29. Had a visit from Mr. [P.] Grant, who 

lunched with us. 
Oct. 3. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis making us a little visit. 
Oct. 4. Planting hyacinths and tulips by the side of the 

walk to flower-garden. 

Oct. 5. Cloudy, rainy weather interfering with our 
friend Dr. [G. E.] Ellis's visit. 

Oct. 9. Foliage looking its best. Have been at work 
lately on Rockery by the boat-house. Removed the 
rustic bridge, which had become decayed. 

Oct. 12. Never saw the autumn foliage finer, espe- 
cially on the shore of the lake. Busy digging 
around rhododendrons, where roots from trees have 
run into borders. 

Oct. 15. Still at work on the Rockery by the pond, and 
I am determined to make it very attractive another 
year. 

Oct. 17. Lord and Lady Playfair of London passed 
the day with us, creating somewhat of a sensation, 
it being the first time we have been honored by the 
presence of such distinguished guests at Wellesley.' 

Oct. 29. Lina Fassitt passed a week with us. 
Nov. 3. At work changing walk leading to Pinetum, 
to give a little more room to Japanese maples, also 

' Sir Lyon Playfair was made Lord since his last visit.— Ed. 

175 



cutting down a big white pine, a red pine, a cembra, 
a Nordmanniana, a white spruce, and a Norway 
spruce in the Pinetum, where they had become very 
crowded. 

Nov. 6. Mr. Humphreys preached and dined with us. 

Nov. 7. At work taking up euonymus, laurels and 
half-hardy rhododendrons. A good deal of interest 
felt in the Presidential election coming off to-mor- 
row. Bob Shaw being the Democratic candidate for 
representation to the General Court, and I shall vote 
for the first time in my life for a Democrat, some- 
thing I never expected to do, having little confidence 
in that party. 

Nov. 1 1 . Still at work around the conifers in Pinetum, 
and preparing a place for some concolors, which I 
think promise to be the best and most ornamental 
conifers we have. Isabella left me and moved to 
the city on the eighth. 

Nov. 23. Have finished all the autumn work and am 
sending off men. 

Nov. 24. Thanksgiving day. Very fine, but the cold- 
est this autumn ; thermometer 18°. Dined with me 
the following: Arthur and family, Jenny Sargent 
and husband, Henry and wife, Hollis, jr., Frank, 
Walter and Jennie Peele. Had a nice show of 
orchids on the table. 

Nov. 30. Ten inches of snow on the ground. 

Dec. 1 . We and the F. W. Sargents moved to the city. 
Length of residence, seven months, twenty-four 
days. 

Dec. 6. Death of Jay Gould. 

176 



Dec. 13. Went up to Weilesley; lunched at Henry's. 

Dec. 22. Little Charlotte arrived. 

Dec. 25. Christmas day. Sunday very cold; ther- 
mometer in Boston. 

Dec. 26. Had our Christmas dinner. There were 
present: Frank, Arthur and Jeanie, Jenny Patten, 
Jenny Sargent and F. W. Sargent, Walter and 
Jennie Peele, Henry and Mamy, Isabella and Bob, 
Hollis, jr., and Maud, and Charlotte; sixteen in all 
at the large table. 

At a small table were Susan, Robert, and Hollis, 
Willie Patten, Julia, and Jeanie, Mary and Walter. 
In the afternoon were present at tea: Jenny Sar- 
gent's four children, little Christine, little Arthur 
and Theodore Shaw, and little Arnold. 



1893 

Jan. 1. On Thursday I went up to Weilesley with the 
boys, who skated on the pond, and we lunched at 
Henry's. 

Jan. 6. Dined with the Humane Society at Abbotr 

Lawrence's. 
Jan. 7. Dined at Parker's with the Agricultural Club, 

and went to Hollis, jr.'s, reception in afternoon. 
Jan. 8. Drove out to Brookline with C. S. Sargent. 
Jan. 14. Cold weather has prevailed for several days 

past, — thermometer near zero every morning, and 

people are beginning to talk about an old-fashioned 

New England winter. 

177 



Jan. 22. Went up to Wellesley day before yesterday. 
About fifteen inches of snow on the ground. Harris 
says the thermometer has been down to 16° below 
zero. 

Jan. 26. Went up to Wellesley, and found the self- 
registering thermometer had marked 7° below zero 
during the past week in our azalea garden. 

Feb. 4. Went down to North Easton with F. L. Ames 
and C. S. Sargent to see the orchids. 

Feb. 9. Went up to Wellesley. Pinetum looking 
nicely. Some rhododendrons have suffered, espe- 
cially in the rhododendron garden. 

Feb. 12. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's with Jenny. 

Feb. 14 and 16. Went up to Wellesley; lunched at 
Henry's on the sixteenth. 

Feb. 18. A great snow-storm, eighteen inches deep. 

Feb. 20. Still another violent snow-storm. 

Feb. 22. And still another furious snow-storm. 

Feb. 23. Cleared off to-day, leaving two or three feet 
of snow on the ground. 

Feb. 25. Had all the men and teams carting off snow 
from hotbeds and greenhouses at Wellesley. 

March 3. Dined at Dr. [G. B.] Shattuck's with Hu- 
mane Society Trustees. 

March 6. Went up to Wellesley with Jenny Sargent. 
More snow than any time this winter. 

March 14. Went to Wellesley, and lunched with Mamy. 

March 18. Went up to Wellesley. The question of 
providing enlarged means of travel in the city has 
caused much excitement of late, especially when 

178 



the West I:iid Railroad asked permission to tunnel 
the Common or take a portion of the Tremont 
Street Mall. The ladies have remonstrated in the 
most energetic manner by a mass-meeting at the 
State House, with speeches, etc. Now the Mayor 
has recommended the same course, and it would 
not be surprising if the project was sooner or later 
adopted, and a piece of the beautiful Common taken 
for railroad purposes. 

March 22. Mild weather. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 25. Went to Wellesley, and lunched at Henry's. 

March 30. Moved up to Wellesley, the first time we 
ever came up in March. 

April 1. Isabella's boys, Robert and Hollis, came yes- 
terday for a week's visit. 

April 3. The ice on the pond has been gradually melt- 
ing for several days, and has nearly all disappeared 
to-day. Whether it has sunk to the bottom of the 
pond or melted is a problem not yet settled, but I 
am inclined to the opinion that some of it melts and 
some sinks to the bottom of the pond. None of it 
is carried to the river by the outlet, that is certain.' 

Susan and Arthur here with Robert, Hollis, and 
Walter. 

April 5. Great Art Festival in Boston, attended by 
fifteen hundred persons in costume; among them, 
Isabella and Bob, Arthur's Isabella and Charlotte. 

April 8. A big snow-storm yesterday! At noon it be- 
gan to snow and four inches fell, and, if the ground 

' It is a curious fact, but sometimes in the spring a whole sheet of ice cover- 
ing almost the whole lake will disappear, as if by magic, in a night. — En. 

179 



had been frozen, we should have had excellent 
sleighing. It was pretty good, however, and 1 took 
half an hour's drive with Arthur, which he enjoyed 
very much. He will probably never have another 
chance for a sleigh-ride so late in the season as the 
8th of April. 

April 9. Isabella and Bob came up to remain with me 
until their new house is finished. 

April 14. Have been very busy the last few days in re- 
moving rhododendrons from the pits and arranging 
plants for the tent show. The winter has been a 
very severe one, and our plants have suffered more 
than for several years past. [For particulars, refer 
to article on Rhododendrons under same date.] 

April 20. I have been at work among my rhododen- 
drons, thinning them out and replacing the injured 
ones. The tent garden all finished, and looks very 
promising. 

April 27. Last year at this time, and also the year be- 
fore, the Forsythia suspensa was in blossom, but 
there is nothing in blossom now but the crocus. The 
season is unusually backward this year. 

April 30. Have been moving some English yews and 
Thuyopsis dolabrata from Pinetum on the knoll 
north of lower lodge, in the shade of white pines, as 
I find they will get injured in severe weather if ex- 
posed to the sun. 

May 2. Arthur moved into his new house. 
May 3. At work thinning out trees in Italian garden. 

180 



May 13. Vegetation has advanced with wonderful 
speed after three days of extreme heat; thermom- 
eter about 80°. 

May 18. Passed a day and night at Brookline very 
pleasantly with C. S. Sargent; visited the Arnold 
Arboretum, J. L. Gardner's, and Wm. Bacon's. 

May 19. Put up awnings on Conservatory annex and 
azalea tent. During this spring enlarged Con- 
servatory by an annex on south side to replace an 
awning. 

May 22. Azalea tent ail in order and looks fitiely. 

May 27. F. Sander, the great orchid grower of Lon- 
don, passed the day with me. 

June 3. Exhibited at Horticultural Exhibition about 
eighteen varieties. Isabella, with Susan and the 
boys, left for the Chicago Exposition. 

June 7. C. S. and Minnie Sargent dined with me. 
Very pleasant day, and the place in perfection. 

June 9. Had Trustees of Humane Society to dine; 
present: J. L. Gardner, Dr. [G. B.J Shattuck, F. L. 
Higginson, Powell Mason, Dr. G. E. Ellis, Dr. [G. 
J.] Townsend, F. W. Bradlee, F. Skinner, C. Faxon, 
and S. M. Weld. A fine, cool day, and the place 
looked its best. Rhododendrons in their prime, and 
likewise the Ghent azaleas. Have concluded not 
to put up the canvas tent on rhododendrons, as I 
want to see if we cannot have an extra fine show 
next year of the half-hardies especially. 

June 12. N. Thayer and Eugene Thayer with their 
wives here, and admired the rhododendrons much. 

181 



June 17. Moving rhododendrons in old statue border, 
as we call it, where they were very crowded. Doing 
this at this season for the second time instead of 
waiting until September. A great misfortune hap- 
pened to us last evening: Isabella's new house, 
which was just being completed, caught fire last 
evening, and the main part of the house was en- 
tirely destroyed. Supposed to have occurred in con- 
sequence of the carelessness of the painters in throw- 
ing oily rags about. 

June 22. Have moved to the southerly end of statue 
border, near the avenue, eight rhododendrons. 
[For particulars, refer to article on Rhododen- 
drons under same date.] 

June 28. Very pleasant. Attended Commencement 
at Harvard College, Cambridge, when the honorary 
degree of A.M., Master of Arts, was conferred on 
me. 

June 29. Entertained C. S. Sargent, who passed the 
day with me accompanied by George Nickolson, 
Curator of the famous Kew Garden in London, and 
Mr. Vilmorin of Paris. 

June 30. Jenny Sargent says it is "the most extraor- 
dinarily cool season she ever experienced! " 

July 1. Jenny Sargent moved to Wareham. 

July 4. A fine cool summer day for the Fourth. The 
children had their baseball game and fireworks as 
usual. 

July 14. Went down to Brookline, and passed the 
night with my friend, C. S. Sargent. 

182 



July 27. Moved down to West Chop to pass the month 
of August. 

Aug. 7. Went up to Wellesley and stayed overnight. 

Aug. 18. My friend, Dr. G. E. EMis, who has been 
passing a few days with me here at West Chop, left 
this morning. 

Aug. 19. Cousin Ellen Townsend came to make me a 
visit. 

Aug. 20. Went on an excursion to Gay Head in the 
steamer City of Portsmouth, with Isabella and 
Cousin Ellen [Townsend], and enjoyed it very 
much indeed, the weather being very pleasant. 
The clay cliffs of great height, with numerous veins 
of different colors, are very wonderful and most 
interesting. Then the remnants of the Indian settle- 
ment, which are scattered about on the heights ex- 
posed to the cold, bleak winds from every direction, 
are very interesting and suggestive. Some of them 
show decided traces of Indian blood in their fea- 
tures, but generally more of the common negro. 

Aug. 22. Went up to Wellesley. 

Aug. 25. Moved up to Wellesley from West Chop, 
where we went July 27. 

Aug. 28. Everything looking very fresh and inviting. 
Mowed the lawn, and took off a good crop of hay. 

Aug. 29. A southeasterly rain-storm, very violent, 
making great havoc with many of our trees; two 
sugar-maples and one large liquidamber were very 
badly injured. 

Sept. 4. Commenced thinning out rhododendrons 
again; this time in border near the purple beeches. 

183 



Sept. 1 1. Mamy confined this morning of a little girl 
[Mary]. President Cleveland's wife ditto! 

Sept. 15. Death this morning of Jennie Peele, Walter's 
dear wife, after a distressing illness of several 
months. 

Sept. 18. Jennie's funeral at Mount Auburn. 

Sept. 19. Finished thinning out my rhododendrons 
three days ago. It is rather late to transplant them, 
but I am in hopes they will not suffer from it next 
winter. 

Sept. 25. At work around the Norway spruce, south 
side of the house, intending to remove it later when 
the ground is in good condition. C. S. Sargent 
passed yesterday afternoon with me. 

Oct. 1. Have taken in orange trees and palms the past 
week. 

Oct. 9. Drove down to Brookline, and lunched with 
C. S. Sargent. Had a visit from Professor Witt- 
mark of Berlin. 

Oct. 14. No frost yet, which is very unusual. 

Oct. 18. My friend. Dr. [G. E.] Ellis, passing a few 
days with me. Severe frost at last. 

Oct. 21. C. S. Sargent and wife lunched with us. 

Nov. 3. Taking up hollies. Have been very busy 
lately thinning out trees. Cut down a great many 
hemlocks near purple beech trees in rhododendron 
garden, likewise in azalea garden and by the little 
path opposite lower lodge. 

Nov. 6. Elected President of Humane Society of State 
of Massachusetts. Taking in half-hardy rhodo- 
dendrons. 

184 



Nov. 13. Jenny Sargent and family moved to the city 
[to 130 Beacon Street]. Have been cutting down a 
good many trees near the main road below Tom 
Smith's. 

Nov. 15. The autumn is thought to he unusually 
pleasant. 

Nov. 17. Henry and Walter have moved to town. 
Cut down the big Norway spruce on lawn near 
English elm. 

Nov. 28. Moving out chrysanthemums from Conser- 
vatory, and closing it for winter. 

Nov. 30. Thanksgiving day. Weather superb, and 
bright sunshine and mild. Thermometer 58°. 
Walter and his children, Jenny Sargent with two of 
her children, and Henry lunched with us, — four- 
teen at table. 

Dec. 5. Moved to the city. Length of residence, 
eight months, five days. 

Dec. 7. Good sleighing, being unusual so early in the 
season. 

Dec. 12. Arthur and family moved to the city. Mrs. 
Shaw still at Wellesley. 

Dec. 13. Thermometer 5° above zero. Coldest day 
for so early in the season since Dec. 2, 1890, and 
Dec. 4, 1882. 

Dec. 14. Thermometer 7° below zero at Wellesley. 

Dec. 17. Drove out to C. S. Sargent's, Brookline. 

Dec. 18. Went up to Wellesley. Found that the ther- 
mometer in the azalea garden registered during the 

185 



cold spell last week 9° below zero — very unusual 
for so early in the winter. 

Dec. 24. Henry and Mamy sleighed up to Wellesley. 

Dec. 25. Christmas day. Quite mild and pleasant; 
thermometer 55". Had the children to dine with 
me, as usual. Eighteen at the large table: Isabella 
and husband, Frank and Jenny Sargent, Arthur and 
Jeanie with their three daughters, Isabella, Jeanie, 
and Julia, Willie Patten and sister, Frank W. H., 
Susan Shaw, and Charlotte, Henry and Mamy, and 
Isabella's friend, Herbert Harriman. At small table : 
Margaret, Robert and Hollis, Theodore, Frank and 
Jane Sargent — six. In the afternoon there were 
Mary, Walter, Frank, Willard, Arnold and Louisa, 
Walter's children, Henry's three children, Jenny 
Sargent's three youngest, Hollis, jr.'s, little Louisa, 
making twenty-five grandchildren and one great- 
grandchild. 

Dec. 27. Went up to Wellesley and lunched at Isa- 
bella's. Rhododendrons looked like August, with- 
out a brown leaf. 

Dec. 3\. The announcement of Annah Curtis's en- 
gagement to Judge [Henry E.] Howland of New 
York creating a tremendous excitement in the family. 



1894 

Jan. L Went up to Wellesley by the 7.30 train; break- 
fasted with Isabella; announced Annah's engage- 
ment, and had a pleasant time. 

Jan. 7. Went to Wellesley, and lunched with Isabella. 

18d 



Jan. 10. Made Isabella another early visit at Wellesley. 

Theodore skating on the pond. 
Jan. 15. Isabella left for New York, to sail on the 

Spree for Genoa to-morrow. Susan and Arthur 

went with them. 
Jan. 17. Went to Wellesley. 
Jan. 21. Lunched with C. S. Sargent at Brookline. 

Jan. 28. Visited Wellesley one day last week, and 
found the ice on north side of pond had disappeared. 
Heard of Isabella's safe arrival at Gibraltar. 

Feb. 1 1. Went up to Wellesley. Found that the ther- 
mometer had marked as low as 15 below zero, much 
to my surprise, as zero was the lowest in the city. 
Sunday last I lunched at C. S. Sargent's with Henry 
Saltonstall. 

Feb. 12. We have the biggest snow-storm for years in 
Boston and over the whole country; some two feet 
have fallen and much drifted. 

Feb. 19 and 27. Went to Wellesley. 

Feb. 22. Went to Southborough with Jenny Sargent, 
and made a half-hour's visit to Theodore, who is at 
Mrs. Fay's school. 

March 9. Made a call on Minnie Sargent, Brookline. 

March 10 and 13. Went up to Wellesley on the 13th 
with Jenny Sargent. Ice all disappeared from the 
pond, much to our surprise. This is twenty-seven 
days earlier than last year, and shows the effect of 
the warm weather of the last two weeks, we having 
had no rain. It also confirms me in my theory that 
the ice under certain circumstances gets water- 

187 



soaked and much of it sinks to the bottom of the 
pond instead of entirely melting away. When I 
was at Wellesley two days ago, it was several inches 
thick, and it is hardly possible, in my opinion, that 
it could have wholly melted in so short a time. 

March 15, 20, and 22. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 26. Moved up to Wellesley. 

March 28. Jenny Sargent came up and passed the day 
with me, bringing with her Jane and Frank. 

April 6. Moving rhododendrons from pits into rhodo- 
dendron tent garden. 

April 8. After the unusually pleasant and mild 
weather for the past six weeks, a furious snow-storm 
has taken us with much surprise. 

April 9. We have six inches of snow on a level on the 
ground. I have taken advantage of it to give my 
grandsons Robert, Hollis, and Walter a nice sleigh- 
ride, which they may remember a long while, as it 
will probably be a great many years before they will 
have a chance to repeat such an unusual experience 
at this time of year. Hollis and Robert left for 
school to-day, also Walter. 

April 10. Went to Boston. Annual meeting of Hu- 
mane Society. 

April 12. Another great snow-storm, which will be re- 
membered for many a day; commencing yesterday 
afternoon, it gradually increased in intensity, snow- 
ing all night and this forenoon. A large quantity 
has fallen, which, added to what was already on the 
ground from previous storm, must make a total of 
sixteen inches. 

188 



April 14. My little granddaughter, Christine, who is a 
very nice little girl, came and dined with me to-day. 

April 20. Growing warmer; moved hollies from pits. 

April 28. Moved orchids into Conservatory. 

April 30. Frank came up. 

May 7. Put up azalea tent — twelve days earlier than 
1893. 

May 1 1. Went down to Brookline, and lunched with 
C. S. Sargent. 

May 12. Finished arranging Conservatory annex with 
the new canvas and awnings. Much pleased with 
the effect and fine view from new bay-window. 

May 25. Azaleas under tent in full bloom; replacing 
the earlier ones by others; we have a very satisfac- 
tory exhibition. 

May 30. C. S. Sargent and wife dined with us Mon- 
day. Charles Merriam and wife also passed the 
afternoon with us. 

Put up tent in rhododendron garden. I don't 
want to keep it on so long as formerly, the growth 
being very much drawn when under canvas. 

June 1. Very pleasant and cool. Had our annual 
dinner for the Trustees of the Humane Society: J. 
L. Gardner, W. C. Loring, C. W. Amory, F. C. 
Welch, F. L. Higginson; and for guests. President 
Eliot of Harvard College, Professor C. S. Sargent, 
Dr. Walcott, and C. F. Choate. Rhododendrons 
looking finely in borders and under the tent, and 
azaleas making a fine show. 

189 



June 2. Sent in sixty of the choice half-hardies to the 
Horticultural Exhibition. Augustus Lowell dined 
with me. 

June 3. Robert and Hollis here. 

June 6. Isabella with Bob, Susan, and Arthur re- 
turned this evening at ten o'clock from their visit to 
Europe, having left Queenstown on the thirty-first 
in the Majestic. Had the house decorated with 
flowers and Chinese lanterns on the occasion. 

June 9. The finest show of rhododendrons, by far, we 
have ever had. Went down and lunched with Pro- 
fessor [C. S.] Sargent, and saw his azaleas. 

June 1 1. Intense heat; thermometer 90°. 

June 12. Taking off south side of rhododendron tent. 
It has been on just one fortnight. 

June 15. Went to Cambridge, and attended the meet- 
ing of the Botanical Garden Committee. 

June 17. Kalmias looking finely. 

June 18. All the azaleas turned out of the pots, and 
planted in the borders very carefully. Hope to see 
an improvement in their condition another season. 

June 23. At work moving some rhododendrons in 
among the hemlocks near the purple beeches. There 
are two queens and one purity, which I am in hopes 
will succeed there in the shade. (N. B. 1899. 
Badly injured.) 

June 24. It was an intensely hot day yesterday, 91° 
in the azalea garden, and 96° in Boston. 

190 



June 26. Had a visit from Mr. [William A.] Stiles of 
the Garden and Forest, who was much pleased with 
my Pinetum and the place. 

June 27. Went to the city. 

June 29. Shall not mow the lawn for several weeks, — 
still a great many weeds. Had photographs taken 
of house, Conservatory annex, and Pinetum. 

June 30. Went down to Nahant with Isabella to see 
Uncle [J. S.J Lovering, who remains in the same 
sad helpless condition, unable to move hand or foot. 
We lunched at Teresa Merriam's, drove around the 
town to see the new cottages, and called on Charles 
Merriam. 

July 4. Boys had their game of baseball, but no fire- 
works this year. 

July 1 1 . Miss Mary and Teresa Merriam making us a 
little visit. 

July 16. Left with Cousin Ellen [Townsend] for 
Maplewood. 

July 27. Hot weather, and we begin to think we might 
as well have remained at Wellesley. 

July 28. Another hot day — worse than yesterday; 
thermometer 92 ' on the Poplar Cottage piazza, and 
93° at the hotel. 

July 30. Went over to the Profile House, and enjoyed 
much the grand mountain scenery there. 

Aug. 1. Drove around Mount Agassiz. Took the 
"Gale River" drive, so called, around Mount 
Agassiz; much impressed with the grandeur of the 

191 



Presidential Range, as seen some two miles from 
Maplewood, and admired the fine trees in the Gale 
River valley, particularly the birches, which we cal- 
culated must be one hundred to one hundred and 
fifty feet high. Have seen nowhere here in the 
mountains among the numerous white pines and 
white spruces any to be compared with those at 
Wellesley in beauty or size. In fact, excepting 
sugar-maples and birches, no single fine specimen 
trees are seen. This may be attributed partly to 
their growing so crowded they have no chance to 
develop. 

Aug. 3. Frank arrived this evening to make us a little 
visit. 

Aug. 10. Cousin Ellen [Townsend] left me yesterday, 
and little Arthur has taken her place. 

Aug. 15. Went over to Whitefield with Frank and 
Arthur. A pretty drive. 

Aug. 17. Isabella with Henry and Mamy arrived last 
evening, and Frank returned home. 

Aug. 21. Went to Mount Willard with Henry and 
Mamy and Isabella. The Coach Parade took place 
to-day. 

Aug. 25. Left Maplewood for home, after a visit of 
forty days, which, upon the whole, I enjoyed very 
much. 

Aug. 30. Have been engaged in cutting down a large 
hemlock tree in azalea garden that died; extending 
the rhododendron border. Have planted by the side 
of the Rockery the following half-hardy rhododen- 
drons: Marchioness of Lansdowne, George Paul, 

192 



Lothair, Fastiiosum, J. H. Agnew, James Mcintosh, 
Mrs. Shuttleworth, J. Marshall Brooks. 

Sept. 10. The weather continues very dry, and many 
trees have suffered, losing their foliage. The 
cercidiphyllums, particularly, seem very susceptible 
to drought. Have been widening old rhododen- 
dron border, called the statue border. At the easterly 
end have cut down some old Norway spruces, which 
were very crowded, and extended the Pinetum, in- 
tending to plant it with junipers, Cupressus I.aw- 
soniana. Thuya gigantea, and Cedrus Atlantica 
glauca, which appears to be more hardy than the 
Lebanon and is even handsomer than that tree. If 
I succeed in introducing this tree, it will indeed be a 
great acquisition. Dog-day weather with yellow 
sky for ten days past, causing many remarks. 

Sept. 22. [Birth of Maude J. Hunnewell.] 

Sept. 25. Prospect for autumnal tints bad, owing to 
drought. 

Sept. 26. A fine, bright, sunshiny day for the wedding 
of Arthur's eldest daughter, Isabella. 

Oct. 4. Went down to Newport to attend Charlotte's 
wedding to Victor Sorchan, which passed off very 
pleasantly, as is generally the case. Isabella and 
Susan, Jenny Sargent, Arthur, Henry and wife, with 
Walter's two daughters, Mary and Louisa [and 
Hollis, jr.], composed the delegation from our fam- 
ily on the occasion. 

Oct. 9. Uncle Lovering, as we called J. S. Lovering, 
died Oct. 7, eighty-five years and two months old. 

193 



Oct. 10. Have been occupied lately in increasing the 
size of the holes of several red cedars in the Darling 
Knoll in Pinetum; also in diminishing size of the 
retinospora groups in Italian garden; also planted 
a Japanese juniper, twenty feet high, at foot of stone 
steps. 

Oct. 13. Went down to Cohasset, and dined at B. C. 
Clark's with the Agricultural Club. Rainy day, 
but we were able to drive about the coast and admire 
the red cedars. Give these trees good cultivation, 
and they become very ornamental. I have been en- 
larging the holes of the few we have in the Pinetum 
on the knoll, but it ought to have been done twenty- 
five years ago. 

Oct. 14. Professor C. S. Sargent and his wife passed 
the day with me. 

Oct. 16. Dr. G. E. Ellis making me a visit of a few 
days. 

Oct. 20. Isabella, having rebuilt her house, which was 
burnt on June 17, 1893, moved into her new one a 
fortnight ago, and is much gratified. 

Oct. 24. Have been occupied in making a considerable 
improvement in our Italian garden. On the terrace, 
southwest end by the stone coping, were three fine 
weeping beeches and a cut-leaf birch, which I have 
finally decided to cut down, as they did not harmon- 
ize at all with the clipped trees in the rest of the gar- 
den. In their places I am planting a row of tall red 
cedars, fifteen feet high, moved down from the 
Indian farm. It is rather late in the season to move 

194 



evergreens, but they have good-sized balls of earth, 
and I hope will thrive. 

Oct. 30. Have had a busy and interesting week, mov- 
ing the above cedars. There are twelve trees, and 
after pruning them in close for two or three years, 
will make Hne pyramidal and eft'ective trees, just 
suited for topiary work in the Italian garden. 

Nov. 3. 1 have nearly completed the two new terraces 
in the Italian garden. Cousin Ellen Townsend, 
who has been making me a short visit, left on the 
first. 

Nov. 6. After rain and mild weather we have a severe 
storm of sleet and snow accompanied by a high 
wind and freezing atmosphere, which has weighted 
down the evergreens and shrubs, breaking many 
branches and doing much injury. Two of my cedars 
recently planted were blown over. 

" Election day! " the most important one that has 
occurred for some time, and it is to be hoped our 
Democratic rulers will be rebuked in their insane 
attempt to ruin all the industries of this country with 
their free-trade notions. 

Nov. 7. A great Republican victory! [See Life of 
Mr. Hunneivell under same date.] 

Nov. 8. Moving into cellar hollies, etc. 

Nov. 17. Have about completed the new terraces in 
the Italian garden. Moved the half-hardy rhodo- 
dendrons into the pit three days ago. 

Nov. 22. Moved out plants from Conservatory. 

195 



Nov. 23. Drove down to Brookline, but Professor C. 
S. Sargent had gone to the football match at Spring- 
field. 

Nov. 29. Thanksgiving day. Pleasant, but cold. Had 
dinner in the hall, which was decorated with plants 
and evergreen wreaths, and the dinner-table with a 
fine show of Cattleya Labiata. Present: Frank, 
Arthur and Jeanie, Jeanie, Julia, and Margaret, 
Willie Patten and sister, Walter with Mary, Louisa, 
Frank, Willard and Arnold, Henry, his wife and 
three girls, Christine, Gertrude, and Mary, Frank 
and Jenny Sargent with Jane, Frank, Henry, and 
Dan — twenty-six in all. Hollis, jr., was absent, and 
Isabella and family, who dined with their Grand- 
mother Shaw. It was a very happy occasion, and 
much enjoyed. First time we ever dined in the hall 
or had so large a gathering of the family on Thanks- 
giving day. 

Dec. 1. Moved to the city. Length of residence, 
eight months, four days. [R. G. Shaws moved to 
130 Beacon Street.] 

Dec. 2. Have had a stormy autumn thus far. 

Dec. 9. Went to Brookline, and lunched with Profes- 
sor C. S. Sargent. 

Dec. 12. Went to Hollis Street Theatre with Isabella 
to see the " Girl Kickers." 

Dec. 13. Funeral yesterday of our old and most excel- 
lent friend. Dr. [G. J.] Townsend, of South Natick, 
who had been devoted to our family for forty-five 
years. We shall feel his loss sadly. 

196 



Dec. 15. Isabella and Susan passed the night here. 

Dec. 21. Continued mild "Meran" weather. Have 
been up to Wellesley twice, and enjoyed it much. 

My old friend, Dr. Geo. E. Ellis, died last night 
very suddenly, aged eighty, and one of the last of 
my contemporaries. 

Dec. 25. Mild and pleasant day for Christmas, which 
we celebrated as usual by a family gathering, which 
was very enjoyable, especially by me in my old age. 
There were present at the four-o'clock Christmas- 
tree reception, when Robert and Mott Shaw danced 
the hornpipe, Susan, Robert, Mollis, Theodore, 
and Arthur Shaw, Frank, Walter, Willard, Arnold 
and Mary Hunnewell, Jane, Frank, Harry, Dan and 
Margaret Sargent, Christine, Gertrude, and Mary 
Hunnewell. in the evening there were present at 
the dinner,— large table, — Frank, Isabella and hus- 
band, Jenny and husband, Walter and Mary, Arthur 
and wife, Jeanie, Julia, and Margaret, and Willie 
Patten, Henry and wife, Charlotte Sorchan and hus- 
band, who came on from New York, — seventeen. 
At the small table: Robert, Hollis, Theodore and 
Arthur Shaw, Margaret, Walter, Frank, Willard, 
and Arnold, Jane and Frank Sargent. All together 
we numbered, in the afternoon and evening, thirty- 
three members of the family. 

1895 
Jan. 1. Aunt Mary Levering died this morning. 
Jan. 12 and 14. Went up to Wellesley, with Isabella 
on the twelfth. 

197 



Jan. 17. One of the great events in the experience of 
young girls occurred last evening in our family cir- 
cle, when on the occasion of the debut into society of 
two of our granddaughters, Mary Hunnewell and 
Susan Welles Shaw, we had a dancing-party, which 
it is unnecessary to add was much enjoyed by all of 
us, and especially by the two dear debutantes. That 
it may prove a forecast to them of as much happi- 
ness and enjoyment as they can reasonably expect 
in the future, in this life of many trials and disap- 
pointments, is the fervent prayer of their Grandpa. 

Jan. 19. Went up to Wellesley with Isabella and her 
boys. Have had sleighing for three weeks. 

Jan. 23 and 3 1 . Went to Wellesley. 

Jan. 26. Had our second dance for the granddaughter 
debutantes last evening, which was more numer- 
ously attended than the first one, some two hundred 
being present. Among the guests, besides the fam- 
ily, were Professor C. S. Sargent, wife, and daugh- 
ter, Mr. and Mrs. N. Thayer, Dr. and Mrs. John 
Homans, Bishop W. Lawrence, wife, and daughters, 
etc. Everything went off very pleasantly, and it 
was thought to be one of the most successful parties 
of the season. 

Feb. 1. Went to the monthly meeting of Humane So- 
ciety at Dr. [G. B.] Shattuck's. 

Feb. 1 1. Went to Wellesley; found eighteen inches of 
snow on the ground, and that the thermometer had 
marked 12° below zero since my previous visit. 

Feb. 15. Went to Wellesley. 

198 



Feb. 17. Susan's third dance for the season came off 
last evening, preceded by a dinner of fourteen, which 
was much enjoyed. 

Feb. 19. Still pleasant and mild, so 1 ran up to Welles- 
ley this morning. 

Feb. 22. Went to Wellesley. 

March 2. Mrs. Bryant left last evening for New York 
and Bermuda. 

March 3. Drove out to Brooklinc, and called on Pro- 
fessor C. S. Sargent. 

March 9. Went to the opera twice. Saw Mesdames 
Fames and Melba. 

March 11, 1 8, and 26. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 31. Went to Brookline, and lunched with Pro- 
fessor C. S. Sargent. Had a meeting yesterday at 
Wellesley with Richardson, Boston and Albany gar- 
dener, as to improvements on north side of track at 
our depot. 

April 5. Moved up to Wellesley with Isabella and 
Henry and their families. We find the season quite 
backward. 

April 9. Violent rain-storm last night, carrying off 
what little snow remained and the ice on the pond, 
twenty-eight days later than last spring. 

April 16. Mr. [A.] Veitch of London passed the day 
with me. 

April 17. Moved rhododendrons from pits to tent 
garden. 

April 21. Busy moving half-hardies from pits and re- 
placing rhododendrons injured in the winter, which 

199 



has been more disastrous than usual, especially 
where exposed to the sun. 

May 8. Hot weather, bringing vegetation forward very 
rapidly. 

May 9. Put up Conservatory awning. 

May 15. Removed from the lawn in front of house two 
large clumps of clipped Retinospora pisifera that 
had been there a great many years and had become 
somewhat unsightly, hiding the fine beech, which 
now shows to more advantage, and altogether it is 
quite an improvement. It makes the view of the 
lawn as seen from the house much more extensive. 
The following rhododendrons planted in garden 
next to kalmias have not been injured this winter: 
Mrs. J. P. Lade, Sappho, Hamlet, Charles Thorold, 
Bluebell. 

May 19. Professor C. S. Sargent and wife passed the 
day with me, and lunched. Talked over horticul- 
tural subjects, and concluded the past winter was 
the worst one in rhododendrons and trees generally 
that we have experienced for several years. 

May 24. Drove down to Brookline with Isabella to see 
Professor C. S. Sargent's azaleas, which were very 
fine, as usual. It is undoubtedly the most superb 
collection of perfect specimen plants in this country 
or in Europe. 

May 25. Hortense [Head] came up this morning to 
make me a visit with her two daughters. 

May 31. Professor C. S. Sargent and Mr. [W. B.] 
Cutting here. Put up tent in rhododendron garden. 

200 



June 7. Had the Humane Society Trustees to dinner: 
Dr. J. C. Warren, C. W. Amory, F. W. Higginson, 
[F. C] Welch, Dr. [G. B.j Shattuck, W. H. 
Forbes; and for guests, F. Blake, T. Jefferson 
Coolidge, Charlie F. Adams, F. H. Appleton, and 
F. W. H., — twelve in all. Beautiful day. 

June 8. Another fine day, and rhododendrons in grand 
condition. Had the Agricultural Club here to-day, 
with a few invited guests, — Messrs. [Judge E.] 
Endicott, F. Bowditch, [J. R.] Leeson, [W. H.] 
Spooner, and [Wm. C] Strong. 

June 9. Had a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Charles F. 
Adams, who drove over from Lincoln. 

June 15. Taking down rhododendron tent by degrees, 
and am at work enlarging the holes of some of the 
largest plants and using a great quantity of leaf- 
mould. 

June 28. Have been moving several more half-hardy 
rhododendrons to border by the Rockery leading to 
azalea garden, as it is an excellent spot, protected 
from cold and sun; also some have been planted 
in nook opposite lower lodge. [For particulars, 
refer to article on Rhododendrons under same 
date.] 

July 4. Cloudy, ending in the afternoon with heavy 
showers. The boys had their game of baseball as 
usual, but we were obliged to postpone the fireworks. 

July 5. Mr. James E. Veitch passed the morning with 
me. Thought our Cattleya gi^as were fine. Sel- 
dom that the place looks so fresh and green at this 
time of year. Charlotte left this morning for New- 

201 



port, having passed the Fourth with us with her 
husband. 

July 8. Jane Sargent moved to Wareham. 

July 9. More rain to-day, and I have concluded that 
the season is a most unusual one. Am busy pre- 
paring a sheltered place in the hemlock grove for 
half-hardy conifers. [For particulars, refer to 
article on Pinetum under same date.] 

July 13. Returned from Wareham, where I passed 
three days with Jenny Sargent. 

July 1 7. Came up to Maplewood to spend a few weeks. 

July 20. Cousin Ellen [Townsend] joined us last 
evening. 

July 23. Heard of death of B. P. Cheney. 

July 27. Another year has passed, and I am permitted 
to be still here. 

July 31. Frank joined us day before yesterday, and 
Cousin Ellen [Townsend] intends to leave to- 
morrow. 

Aug. 13. Henry and Mamy left after a short visit of 
three days, and Robert, Walter, Mary, Frank, and 
Willard arrived. Isabella, Theodore, and Arthur 
came yesterday. 

Aug. 19. Have much enjoyed the visit of the young 
folks, who have been very busy going about to see 
the different objects of interest in the mountains. 
They went up Mounts Agassiz, Washington, Can- 
non, and Willard, and drove to Echo Farm and 
Forest Hill. 

202 



Aug. 21. F^eturiied home from Maplewood with Isa- 
bella and party of young folks. 

Aug. 24. Find the place looking as fresh and green as 
in early summer, and for once we all agree that it is 
"the most extraordinary season" ever experienced 
at Wellesley, and all the families are promising to 
give up the seashore and pass all their summers 
hereafter at home. 

Aug. 30. Have been occupied in taking down trees and 
trenching ground in half-hardy Pinctum. Have 
also planted retinosporas on second terrace, south 
end of Italian garden, below the cedars planted a 
year ago. 

Aug. 31. Planted two round-headed cedars in front of 
pavilion, about twelve feet high. 

Sept. 4. A great corn crop out West is thought to be 
assured. 

Sept. 5. Professor C. S. Sargent lunched with me, ac- 
companied by his friend, Dr. Mack of Mobile, and 
the superintendent of the Shaw Park of St. Louis. 

Sept. 15. Three maples in rhododendron garden in- 
jured badly by lightning. 

Sept. 17. Rev. Brooke Herford from England and 
Rev. J. Cuckson lunched with me to-day, and I en- 
joyed their visit much. The former, who was the 
popular preacher of the Arlington Street Church 
four years ago, has come out here to pass a few 
weeks and see his old parishioners. 

Sept. 18. Have been engaged for several days past in 
taking up several very large trees north of Conserva- 
tory, which had concealed the view of the woods on 

203 



the other side of the pond. The opening makes a 
nice vista, and is thought to be a decided improve- 
ment. One of the trees cut down, a white spruce, 
was seventy-three feet high. 

Sept. 20. Frank left on the seventeenth for the West, 
to look after the C, B. and Q., and K. C, Ft. S. 
and M. roads. Robert G. Shaw returned last even- 
ing from a short trip to Europe. 

Sept. 23. Extremely hot weather continues and is 
thought very unusual; thermometer 87° in Welles- 
ley, 94° in Boston. 

Sept. 25. Have been cutting down several trees on 
lawn in front of upper lodge, also several pines on 
south side of avenue commencing at the lodge and 
extending up to White Pine Avenue. 

Oct. 8. Passed two days at Newport last week with 
Isabella. Saw, dined, and drove with Charlotte. 
Was much interested in examining the fine trees and 
vegetation there, the climate evidently being favor- 
able for their growth when they are not exposed to 
the sea breezes. 

Oct. 10. Have cut down on south side of house, near 
the magnolia, a Norway spruce, seventy-eight feet 
six inches high and ten feet eight inches in circum- 
ference. It was injuring the magnolia and white 
pines in the rear, and I intend to replace it with 
shrubs. 

Oct. 27. Have been cutting down five large white pines 
on avenue near Tom Smith's Lodge. Have also 
been thinning out Ghent azaleas in azalea garden 

204 



and enlarging holes of several of the finest speci- 
mens and planting some of the others in swamp. 

Nov. 4. Had a visit from Mrs. C. S. Sargent with her 
friend, Miss [Beatrice] Jones, a student of land- 
scape gardening. Found her very well informed on 
horticultural matters, and much interested in the 
subject. 

Nov. 8. Have had all the greenhouses painted and re- 
paired this autumn, substituting stone for wood 
wherever practicable. Have had likewise the pits 
for rhododendrons and half-hardies repaired and 
put in good order. 

Nov. 9. Moving rhododendrons into winter quarters. 
Dined yesterday with Henry, to meet Agricultural 
Club; present: F. Blake, Stephen [M.] Weld, 
J[acoh] Rogers, E. Peabody, Professor C. S. Sar- 
gent, F. H. Appleton, and Mr. [R. M.] Saltonstall. 

Nov. 1 4. Went to Fanny Ober's wedding at our village 
church, which was decorated very profusely with 
chrysanthemums. 

Nov. 1 5. Charlotte and her husband left me this morn- 
ing after a few days' visit, which I enjoyed ex- 
tremely. 

Nov. 25. Moved to the city a few days earlier than 
usual. Length of residence, seven months, twenty 
days. 

Nov. 28. Thanksgiving day. Very mild and pleasant. 
Had Arthur, Julia, and Margaret, Willie Patten and 
sister, Walter, Mary, Louisa, Frank and Willard, 
Henry and wife, F. W. Sargent and wife, Jane, 

205 



Frank, Harry, Dan, and little Margaret to dine, and 
after dinner had a dance. 

Nov. 29. Went up to Wellesley. 

Nov. 30. Have had an interview to-day with Horace 
Mann of Natick in reference to his preparing some 
historical notes on our ancestor, Samuel Welles, of 
the fifth generation of the Welles family, who be- 
came a resident of Natick in 1763 and proprietor of 
most of the landed estate belonging to our family at 
the present moment; also, to give us such informa- 
tion as he can obtain from the town records of the 
Indians who occupied different parts of our estate 
in those days, and, as far as he can, their names and 
the location of their huts, with such facts in regard 
to their mode of life, etc., as can be procured. It 
will be interesting for us, I think, to have a more 
definite knowledge than we now possess of them and 
the exact condition in those days of the estate we 
have been occupying and improving the past fifty 
years, as well as of the original settlers, especially 
the Indians, who composed most of the inhabitants 
about one hundred and fifty years ago. 

It is difficult, even now, for us of the present gen- 
eration to fully realize that so short a time ago, com- 
paratively speaking, the very spot where we now 
reside, enjoying all the luxuries of a refined civiliza- 
tion, was the home of ignorant savages ! How much 
more surprising and interesting will this fact be to 
our children and descendants one of these days, if 
they can have such reliable accounts to refer to as it 
is here proposed to give them. (Did not succeed in 
obtaining anything interesting.) 

206 



Dec. 8 and 16. Went to Wellesley; lunched with Isa- 
bella on Dec. 8. 

Dec. 25. Another Christmas day celebrated, and one 
of the gayest we ever experienced. The afternoon 
was devoted to the entertainment of the younger 
members of the family with a juggler's sleight-of- 
hand tricks and a Christmas-tree with a distribution 
of Christmas presents. There were present of the 
young ones: Jenny Sargent's five children, Henry's 
three little girls, Walter's family, with the Head girls 
and Charley Lovering's three boys. At our dinner 
we had Arthur and wife and three girls, Mr. and 
Mrs. H. M. Harriman, Willie Patten and Jenny Pat- 
ten, Mr. and Mrs. Henry, Frank and Jenny Sargent, 
Francis W. H., Hollis, jr., Walter, son Walter and 
Mary, — twenty at the large table, and nine at the 
small one. In the evening they danced as usual, 
and Hollis, jr., was very entertaining indeed, making 
much fun, so that this was thought to be the gayest 
family gathering we have ever had on Christmas. 

Dec. 29. Went up to Wellesley, and lunched with Isa- 
bella. 



1896 

Jan. 4. Have been housed a few days with a cough. 
Isabella moved to the city [to 130 Beacon Street]. 

Jan. 14, 15, and 22. Went up to Wellesley. 

Jan. 24. Susan had her small dancing-party, and her 
young friends enjoyed themselves very much, as 
usual. 

207 



Jan. 26. Drove out to Brookline, and called on Pro- 
fessor C. S. Sargent. 
Jan. 27. Made my weekly visit to Wellesley. 

Jan. 31. Went to Wellesley and found grand skating 
on pond. 

Feb. 6. Went last evening to hear Stoddard lecture on 
Japan, and was very much interested in the wonder- 
ful vegetation of that country. 

Feb. 7. Attended monthly meeting of Humane Society 
at J. C. Rogers's. 

Feb. 8 and 10. Went to Wellesley. Ice breaking up. 

Feb. 16. Drove out to Brookline, and lunched with 
Professor C. S. Sargent. 

Feb. 17. After a long spell of mild weather, we have a 
snow-storm, ending with a cold wave,— 9° below 
zero in Boston. 

Feb. 22. Went to Wellesley with Isabella and Arthur. 
Thermometer at Wellesley has been down to 12" 
below zero since my last visit on the tenth. 

Feb. 24. Henry and wife, with Frank Sargent and the 
[Augustus] Hemenways, left for Florida. 

Feb. 29. Milder weather, and on going to Wellesley to 
call on Maud, found snow all gone. Went down 
to North Easton with Walter to see the [F. L.] 
Ames's collection of orchids. 

March 5 and 8. On going to Wellesley, found much 
snow. 

March 7. Attended Humane Society meeting at John 
Morse's. 

208 



March 16. Cold weather lately, with thermometer 15" 
to 20' mornings, and to-day wc have another snow- 
storm just in time for Henry, who returned yester- 
day from a visit of three weeks to Florida, where 
the thermometer was 70" to 75" all the time. 

March 18 and 24. Made visits to Wellesiey, with Isa- 
bella on the 18th. 

April 9. Moved up to Wellesiey after a week of cold 
weather, since when it has been charming, — mild 
and pleasant. 

April 19. All agree the weather has been remarkable 
the past ten days, thermometer ranging from 75^ to 
83° every day. 

April 21. Moved rhododendrons from cellar and took 
cold. 

April 23. Moving out hollies, etc. 

Am taking away the wooden balustrade on edge 
of pond by Italian garden, and replacing it with one 
of stone; an expensive job, but it will be free of 
further expense for a thousand years. 

May 2. J [ames] H. Veitch passed the day with me. 
May 10. Put up Conservatory awning, — thermom- 
eter 90°. 
May 19. Put up azalea tent. 

May 20. Went down to Brookline to Professor C. S. 

Sargent's. 
May 28. Put up rhododendron tent, and moved out 

palms to north side of Conservatory. 
May 30. Professor C S. Sargent and James H. 

Veitch here; the latter admired our Ghent azaleas, 

209 



which he said were much finer than could be grown 
in England. 

June 10. C. F. Adams and wife, Rev. J. Cuckson and 
wife, visiting us. Rhododendrons have been fine. 

June 20. The country, with an abundance of rain this 
month, is in fine condition, — grass green, the trees 
growing fast, and our place looking more inviting 
than ever. I am giving more and more attention to 
my trees by spraying many to get rid of the insects, 
which I find require constant watching. Some of 
our walnut trees are very promising, and I am trying 
to keep them in good health, for they bid fair to be 
very ornamental in time. One large-leaf one on the 
first entrance avenue is very handsome, and several 
on side of pond, back of the house. 

June 28. Professor C. S. Sargent and wife lunched 
with me. Have cut down lately two more Norways 
in front of pavilion, and planted hemlocks, Japanese 
yews, retinosporas, and kalmias. 

July 4. Celebrated the Fourth as usual with baseball 
in the morning and fireworks in the evening. Char- 
lotte and husband and Isabella Harriman and hus- 
band visiting us, so we have had a nice family gath- 
ering. 

July 1 1 . Have been occupied taking down a tall hedge 
in rhododendron tent garden on east side of Peach- 
ery, enlarging the border considerably for rhodo- 
dendrons. 

July 15. We came up to Maplewood yesterday, and 
find it very comfortable at cottage near hotel — 
Cottage Number 10. 

210 



July 22. F. W. H. arrived. 

Aug. 12. Henry and Mamy came yesterday to make 

me a visit, and have brought more of Boston hot 

weather. 
Aug. 15. Went over to Profile House with Henry and 

Mamy. 

Aug. 18. Henry and Mamy returned home, and Wal- 
ter with his three boys came to make me a little visit. 

Aug. 24. Walter and boys returned to Wellesley. 

Aug. 26. Returned to Wellesley after having passed 
six weeks at Maplewood. 

Sept. 3. Jenny Sargent confined of a little girl [Ruth J. 

Sept. 4. Have been occupied since my return from the 
mountains in thinning out my rhododendrons, as 
usual. 

Sept. 1 1 . Received two RetinosporcB plumoscB, two 
R. pisiferce, and two Taxus adpressos from Veitch 
& Sons, which we have put in tubs for the winter, 
intending to plant them in Italian garden next spring. 

Sept. 13. At work enlarging holes of a few more coni- 
fers in Pinetum — one in particular, Abies lasio- 
carpa. 

Sept. 14. Moving into greenhouse palms, etc., and tak- 
ing off Conservatory annex canvas. 

Sept. 17. Have planted to-day ten cedars {Atlantica 
glauca), received from Parsons — five in Pinetum, 
two on the lawn, and three on east side of F. W. Sar- 
gent's Entrance Avenue. 

Sept. 25. Isabella and Bob, with Susan, Robert, and 
Hollis and Mary Hunnewell, returned after an ab- 

211 



sence of two months on a trip to Europe. Prepar- 
ing a small piece of ground at the southeast end of 
Pinetum for a few hollies; planted six Ilices 
crenatce, three Ilices opacce already there. 

Sept. 28. Planted two Douglas firs on lawn, south 
side, near tulip tree. 

Oct. 7. Rain every day, though six and a half inches 
fell in September. 

Oct. 15. More rain! 

Oct. 19. Foliage remarkably fine. 

Nov. 3. Professor C. S. Sargent and wife passed the 
day with me. 

Nov. 1 1. Charlotte and husband left me, after a pleas- 
ant visit of a few days. She is always most affec- 
tionate and lovely, so it is a great comfort for me to 
see her. 

Nov. 16. Have cut down several Norway spruces on 
north side of Harris house, opening a view of the 
lake which was entirely concealed from that point. 
These trees I found, to my surprise, were making a 
great growth, two and a half feet annually, though 
in a poor, thin soil. I can only attribute this to 
their being exposed very slightly to the sun. 

Nov. 21. Moved to the city in a rain-and-sleet storm. 
Length of residence, seven months, twelve days. 

Nov. 24. Jenny Sargent and family joined me [at 130 
Beacon Street]. 

Nov. 26. Light rain and fog for Thanksgiving day! 
Had our usual family gathering. Present: Arthur, 
wife, and daughters, Jeanie, Julia, and Margaret, 

212 



Willie Patten, Walter, Mary, Louisa, Frank, and 
Willard, Henry and wife, Hollis, jr., F. W. H., F. W. 
Sargent and wife, Jane, Frank, Harry, and Dan, — 
twenty in all. 

Nov. 27. Drove out to call on Professor [C. S.] Sar- 
gent. 

Dec. 1. Went up to Wellesley. A bright, cheerful 
winter day, which 1 enjoyed extremely, walking 
among my conifers, the branches of which were 
laden with the light fall of moist snow during the 
night. 1 was much impressed with the very great 
beauty of our avenue, which I consider one of the 
best planted and most attractive examples of an ap- 
proach to a residence that 1 am acquainted with in 
this neighborhood. The large collection of our 
evergreens, planted on each side forty years ago, 
have attained a height of fifty or sixty feet, and are 
at all times objects of admiration, but particularly so 
at this moment. 

The news I have just received of the death of an 
old horticultural friend in England, Anthony Waterer, 
is a sad event for me, and carries me back to my 
early experience in planting our place at Wellesley, 
for 1 have kept up an active correspondence with 
him on the subject generally for a great number of 
years, and especially in relation to rhododendrons, 
nearly all of my plants having been purchased of 
him. 1 became acquainted with him, in the first 
place, through my friend and relative, Henry W. 
Sargent, who was an enthusiast in planting, and 
did much to encourage the cultivation of rare shrubs 
and conifers in this country in those days. Wa- 

213 



terer's Knap Hill Nursery is the largest one in Eng- 
land of hardy rhododendrons and evergreen trees, 
and it is to him that we are indebted for the race of 
hardy varieties, which are so generally cultivated in 
this country, and which are so superior to the old 
Ponticums usually planted in England. This gave 
him a great advantage over the other English nur- 
serymen, and most of the plants imported here have 
been sent out by him. He was much interested in 
our place, as I was the first to get up a large collec- 
tion in New England of his hardy varieties, and he 
has named several of them after different members 
of our family. 

Dec. 10. Went to Wellesley. Lawn looking as green 

as in June. 
Dec. 14. Weather has been uncommonly mild and 

pleasant since we moved to the city. 

Dec. 19. Drove out to Brookline, and heard from Pro- 
fessor C. S. Sargent the particulars of the burning 
of his fine house. Went up to Wellesley. 

Dec. 25. Christmas cold, with thermometer nearly 
down to zero and pretty good sleighing. Thermom- 
eter at Wellesley 12° below zero as per registering 
glass. Celebrated the day, as we have done for 
more than fifty years, with a family gathering, which 
was most successful and the occasion of much real 
enjoyment and happiness. All the members of our 
family were present, with the exception of the two 
little children of grandson Hollis, jr., who were still 
up at Wellesley, and consisted of Frank, Walter and 
his six children, Walter, Mary, Frank, Willard, 

214 



Louisa, Arnold, Arthur and Jeanie with their four 
children, and Mr. [H. M.] Harriman, Isabella, her 
husband, and five children, Jenny Sargent, husband, 
and six children, Henry, wife, and three children, 
Hoiiis, jr., Maud, Charlotte Sorchan and husband, 
— forty-one in all. How much I have to be thank- 
ful for! 

1897 

Jan. 3. I have a bad cold, the same as last year at this 
time. The public much interested in the conclu- 
sion of the Bram murder case on the high seas, 
which has resulted in his conviction. 

Jan. 7. Went to Wellesley. 

Jan. 8. Attended Humane Society meeting at F. L. 
Higginson's. 

Jan. 21. After having been under the care of Dr. J. 
Collins Warren for ten days, suffering from a slight 
cold and cough, which it was feared might develop 
into something more serious, I am about the house 
again, and expect to go to the office in a few days. 
The doctor is of the fourth generation of a family 
ranking very high in public estimation as physicians 
and surgeons in this city, and I suppose it is particu- 
larly as a surgeon that he is identified closely with 
the Massachusetts General Hospital, where he does 
an amount of work, for which the public ought to be 
greatly indebted to him. The doctor tells me I am 
his "oldest patient," which will furnish me with 
material to ponder over for many a day. 

Jan. 22. Pleasant and mild, and I have taken a drive, 
which I enjoyed much. 

215 



Jan. 26. Had an afternoon tea yesterday in honor of 
Miss Beatrice Herford, daughter of our former pas- 
tor, Rev. Brooke Herford, now in London, with a 
view to aid her in her endeavors to support herself 
by giving pubHc recitals of amusing stories she has 
composed for that purpose, such as the Book Agent, 
Shop Girl, Tram Baby, etc. Our guests, some fifty 
in number, enjoyed the entertainment greatly, which 
was thought very bright and clever, and in parting I 
gave the young lady a substantial remembrance, 
which will aid her materially in making her visit to 
this country a successful and profitable one. 

Feb. 9. Went to Wellesley, the first time since Jan. 7. 

Feb. 12. Drove to Brookline, and called on Professor 
[C. S.] Sargent. 

Feb. 17. On going to Wellesley to-day, found more 
snow on the ground than at any time this winter. 

March 1. Went out to Brookline yesterday, and 
lunched with Professor [C. S.] Sargent. 

March 5. Went to Wellesley; thermometer zero — low- 
est point in the whole month of February (per regis- 
tering thermometer) . Tom Smith still at work in 
Pinetum, pruning all the dead branches of the coni- 
fers, and they look famously; never better. At- 
tended meeting of Humane Society at Dr. [G. B.] 
Shattuck's. 

March 13. Went to Wellesley with Fuller, to make a 
plan of the Pinetum. Ice breaking up. 

March 18. Went to Wellesley. 

216 



March 30. Moved up to Wellesley — same date pre- 
cisely as in 1893; this makes twice that I have come 
up in March. 

April 2. I have been hard at work preparing my azalea 
garden, the great feature of which will he my collec- 
tion of Ghent varieties instead of Indian azaleas as 
heretofore. 

April 4. Henry and little Jane Sargent passing the day 
with me. 

April 5. Moving rhododendrons from cellar into tent 
garden, much earlier than usual. 

April 7. Moved from cellar hollies, laurel, etc. Planted 
in upper terrace in front of pavilion two Taxus 
adpressce] standards, two RetinosporcB pisiferce, stan- 
dards, very handsome, received from Veitch & Sons, 
London, also two Retinosporce pisiferce and one 
Thuya vervceneana. 

April 9. Cut down a fine large Nordmanniana in Pine- 
tum, thirty-five feet high, in order to leave a group 
of three trees a good distance apart for further de- 
velopment. 

April 13. Went to the city and attended annual meet- 
ing of Humane Society. 

April 14. Have been planting three dozen cedars {At- 
lantica glauca) , imported from England, and am 
still hopeful of their success, but do not feel quite so 
sanguine as I did; several of these, planted a year 
and two years ago, having died the past winter. 
Should only a few of them, however, live and flour- 
ish, I shall be satisfied. 

217 



April 15. Henry and family moved up. Jenny Sar- 
gent and Walter's families came up the fourteenth. 
Mild and pleasant ever since I moved up; the season 
unusually forward. 

April 18. Planted three Torreyoe nuciferce received 
from Veitch, about five feet high, which I presume 
are the same kind as one which I have had several 
years by entrance to azalea garden. 

April 26. Japanese weeping cherry in full blossom, 
and in my opinion it is the most lovely flowering tree 
on the place. 

April 28. Moved orchids into Conservatory. 

May 9. Turned out into the borders some of the earli- 
est flowering Indian azaleas, to give them a longer 
season of growth. 

May 12. Put up Conservatory annex awning. 

May 17. Granddaughter Charlotte and husband mak- 
ing us a visit, to our great joy. 

May 22. Put up azalea tent with a few Indian in the 
centre. 

May 27. Went down to Professor C. S. Sargent's to 
see his wonderful collection of Indian azaleas, which 
he still manages to grow in a manner to excite the 
admiration of his numerous visitors. The weather 
being cloudy, his place looked at its very best, and 
we did not miss the lack of shade in the walks which, 
with the absence of evergreens, is one blemish I 
think in this beautiful estate. Mr. Sargent's idea of 
dispensing with a regular flower-garden, relying al- 
most entirely on an abundance of shrubbery, is 
worth considering in a large place where the ques- 

218 



tion of economy has any influence. Sfirubs can be 
used at a very moderate expense with great effect in 
the early spring most especially. They are very 
beautiful, and their care and cultivation are ex- 
tremely moderate in comparison with small plants. 
Another point to be thought of in a show place is 
that the spring is the most satisfactory season by far 
for the entertainment of one's friends. In our hot 
climate, people generally, nowadays, who can afford 
it go to the seashore, and don't enjoy the country in 
midsummer, even if they happen to be fond of flow- 
ers. All this is said for the benefit of any one inter- 
ested in the subject so dear to many of us. 

May 29. Put up rhododendron tent. Sent a nice col- 
lection of choice varieties to the Horticultural Ex- 
hibition. Our friends, Mr. and Mrs. C. Head and 
daughters, making us a visit. 

June 1. Attended meeting at Cambridge of the Botan- 
ical Garden Committee. 

June 4. Had Trustees of Humane Society to dine. 
Only three present: J. L. Gardner, Dr. J. C. War- 
ren, and F. C. Welch; no quorum; C. L. Young, F. 
Bartlett, and Geo. R. Shaw, guests. Place and 
rhododendrons looked their best. 

June 6. Had a visit from Professor C. S. Sargent. 
C. T. Lovering and boys passed Sunday with us. 

June 13. Took down azalea and rhododendron tents 
yesterday. 

June 18. Went over to Lexington with Walter to see 
the [F. B.] Hayes's place, which will probably soon 
fall into the hands of the Horticultural Society. 

219 



June 25. Thinning out rhododendrons where crowded. 
I find they not only become out of shape when very 
thick together, but they rob each other of moisture. 
I have cut down two large Norway spruces on our 
Entrance Avenue, enlarging what we call our hardy 
rhododendron garden considerably. Here 1 have 
moved several large specimens. [For particulars, 
refer to article on Rhododendrons under same date.] 
The transplanting of these shrubs at this season of 
the year, when they are just making their new 
growth, without the least check or injury is a remark- 
able and interesting circumstance in connection with 
this wonderful plant. Last year I moved a number 
of them in the tent garden later than this (about 
July 10) , and with equal success. 

June 30. Foliage wonderfully dense and healthy. A 
very favorable season. 

July 5. Celebrated the Fourth to-day in the usual man- 
ner with baseball in the morning at Isabella's and 
fireworks in the evening. All the family present 
except Hollis, jr., and Charlotte and her husband, 
and were photographed, making an interesting 
family group. Weather fine, but hot. [Charlotte 
and Hollis, jr., are added to the photograph of the 
group.] 

July 8. Waterer writes me that No. 77, '85 [Rhodo- 
dendrons], was named Mrs. R. G. Shaw by his fa- 
ther before his death. 

July 12. Left home for Bethlehem, where we intend 
to pass a few weeks instead of at Maplewood, as 
heretofore. 

220 



I 



July 27. Arrival of Frank to pass a few days with me. 

Aug. 2. Cousin Ellen Townsend left, having passed 
two weeks with me. 

Aug. 17. Frank left me, after a visit of just three 
weeks. 

Aug. 21. Arrived from Bethlehem, and found the place 
looking finely; more like spring than midsummer. 

Aug. 26. Went down to Jenny Sargent's, and passed 
three or four days with her and Isabella at West 
Chop. 

Sept. 20. Cut down a Japanese larch and Larix lepto- 
lepsis near the kalmias, as there was nothing special 
to recommend them. Cut down two or three old 
magnolias very much crowded at the entrance to 
Pinetum, making room for two Retinosporce obtusce, 
about twenty-five feet high, and some plumosce. 

Sept. 30. Took in orange trees and dismantled Con- 
servatory annex. Have been occupied the last few 
days on the steep bank adjoining easterly end of 
Italian garden. Many years ago this was planted 
with different conifers and allowed to grow wild, 
and had become crowded with seedling shrubs, etc. 
These have been thinned out, and some new choice 
evergreens planted, which succeed admirably in a 
northern exposure, I find. It looks very attractive, 
particularly from the path leading into the Pinetum 
at the top of the high hill. 

Oct. 7. C. Merriam and President Washburn here. 

Oct. 16. Have been at work enlarging old statue rho- 
dodendron border; cut down a large Nordmanniana, 
giving a much better view from avenue of the plants. 

221 



Robert G. Shaw, jr., came home on the 11th inst., 
after having been laid up over two months at West 
Chop with typhoid fever. 

Oct. 17. Professor C. S. Sargent passing the day with 
me, and still urges me to thin out more of my trees. 

Oct. 23. Charlotte Sorchan has a daughter. [Bea- 
trice.] 

Nov. 9. Moved tender rhododendrons into the cellar. 
I think it better to move the late-flowering ones, par- 
ticularly, in a month sooner, as it will give them 
more time to ripen their flowering buds. There is a 
great difference in this respect; some varieties, like 
Everestianum, form their buds immediately after 
flowering, and others not until a month or more 
later. 

Nov. 25. Thanksgiving day; pleasant. Had our din- 
ner in the hall. Had three Begonis de Lorraine on 
the table, which were much admired. Walter and 
his six children, Henry and wife and three children, 
Jenny Sargent, husband, and four of her eldest 
children, Arthur, Jeanie, Julia, Margaret, and Willie 
Patten, and Frank, — twenty-six were present. 

Nov. 27. Moved into the city. [R. G. Shaws' at 130 
Beacon Street.] Length of residence, seven months, 
twenty-eight days. Just before leaving Wellesley 
had a visit from two very distinguished divines, — 
Bishop Lawrence and an Englishman, my Lord 
Bishop of Rochester. 

Dec. 17. Went to Wellesley for the third time since I 
moved to the city. 

222 



Dec. 25. Christmas day. Coldest day so far; ther- 
mometer 8°. Had our usual family gathering, — 
twenty at the large table and ten at the small one at 
dinner. Charlotte Sorchan and Isabella Harriman, 
with their husbands, came on from New York. In 
the evening had dancing and a kinetoscope enter- 
tainment. 

1898 

Feb. 1. Winter at last, in an old-fashioned, big snow- 
storm. No telegraphic communication with New 
York for two days. 

Feb. 14. Went up to Wellesley, the first time for three 
weeks; found the thermometer had been as low as 
12° below zero since my last visit. 

Feb. 23. Henry and Mamy left on a trip to Mexico. 

Feb. 24. Went up to Wellesley. 

Feb. 25. Frank Sargent and his wife, with Isabella, 
Bob, and Susan, left for Palm Beach. 

March 1 . Went to North Easton with Walter to see the 
[F. L.] Ames collection of orchids. 

Drove up to Brookline, Sunday, and lunched with 
Professor Sargent. Went also to see Mrs. [J. L.] 
Gardner's Italian garden. 

March 5. Went to Wellesley this morning. 

March II. Unusually mild weather has been preva- 
lent for a week past, — thermometer 60°. Went up 
to Wellesley with Mrs. Bryant. 

March 14. Went to Wellesley, and, to my astonish- 
ment, found the ice on pond all gone since I was 
there three days ago. 

223 



March 26. Jenny Sargent and husband returned from 
Florida. 

March 28. Moved up to Wellesley. 

April 2. Have been favored with visits from Hollis 
Shaw, Frank, Louisa, and Willard [Hunnewell]. 
The latter is showing his skill by trying to shoot 
glass pigeons for dinner! Henry and Mamy re- 
turned from their trip to Mexico. 

April 5. Have cut down one more spruce on Easterly 
Avenue, which enlarges considerably the rhodo- 
dendron garden. Ceased acting as Treasurer of the 
Humane Society, after having served over twenty 
years. 

April 11. Moved half-hardy rhododendrons from pits 
to tent. 

April 16. Mr. [J.] Cuckson and his friend, Mr. Aus- 
ten, lunched with me, and I enjoyed their visit. 

April 29. Have about finished transplanting what few 
trees and shrubs we had to move this spring, and 
have got the place cleared and looking nicely. 

Declaration of war with Spain. [See Life of Mr. 
Hunnewell under same date.] 

May 10. Dined at Henry's, — anniversary of their wed- 
ding. 

May 1 1. Put up Conservatory awning. 

May 13. Frank moved up. 

May 15. Professor C. S. Sargent and daughter Alice 
passed the day with me. He thought my conifers 
looked admirably. He was confident Taxus brevi- 

224 



i 



folia came from Japan, but Nicholson says it is a 
California tree, thirty to forty feet high. 
May 20. Dogwoods in full blossom, looking uncom- 
monly well. The new pink one is much admired. 
The whole place is in fine condition, and I never saw 
it more attractive. 

May 23. Mrs. Bryant left for Niagara. Put up azalea 
tent. 

May 28. A week's constant drizzle and fog. 

June 2. Cousin Ellen Townsend here. 

June 6. Went down to Brookline to see the professor's 
[C. S. Sargent] Indian azaleas, which are wonder- 
fully fine, as usual. Visited the Arboretum and the 
Sprague Italian garden, which astonished me. The 
works of art are excellent, and exceed everything of 
the kind in this country, as far as I know. The 
sunken garden, when finished, will attract great at- 
tention and admiration, no doubt, but in passing 
judgment on the whole place, it must be said there 
are many serious blemishes and objections, to say 
nothing of the extravagance, for the cost must reach 
several hundred thousand dollars. 

June 8. Had a visit from Charles W. Henry, two com- 
missioners, and the superintendent of Fairmount 
Park, Philadelphia. They came especially for the 
purpose of seeing our collection of rhododendrons, 
and were much pleased with them, as with the whole 
place. 

June 12. Have been having a good deal of company 
lately to see the rhododendrons and Ghent azaleas, 
which have been much admired. Among them, 

225 



Jack Gardner and brother George and son, Miss 
[Ellen] Robbins, Pettigrew, Teresa Merriam and 
husband. 

June 19. Mrs. Kate Gannett Welles and husband here. 

June 21. Took down rhododendron tent one week later 
than in 1897. 

June 25. All hands at work taking off faded flowers. 

July 4. Hot weather still; thermometer 92° yesterday. 
The family baseball team gave up their usual Fourth- 
of-July game and had the fireworks in the evening 
at Isabella's. 

July 8. Left for Bethlehem. 

July 16. Frank with Walter's son Frank and Louisa 
came up to make me a visit. Heard the news of the 
surrender of Santiago. 

July 19. After an absence of nine years, I am here able 
to record the return home, somewhat unexpectedly, 
of my son John; but it is none the less an occasion 
of hearty congratulations and real enjoyment to me, 
for at my advanced age I could hardly have expected 
my life would have been spared me so long that I 
should be able to welcome him again to his native 
land. I have been struck with his strong resem- 
blance to his brother Hollis, which has increased, I 
think, in a marked degree as he has grown older, 
and is very evident to me at certain moments as I 
watch him. 

July 22. Took our French son up in the woods on a 
botanizing excursion, which he evidently enjoyed 
only moderately, as he has expressed no wish to re- 
peat it to-morrow. 

226 



July 25. A memorable fight took place yesterday in the 
woods on Strawberry Hill between Billy [Mr. Hun- 
newell's dog] of Wellesley and an inhabitant of the 
mountains, who used weapons that Billy was ignor- 
ant of, which forced him to surrender, but he did so 
"with honor." 

July 28. John left me to visit his brothers and sisters. 

Aug. 2. Cousin Ellen Townsend came to make me a 
visit. 

Aug. 15. Frank left me to-day. 

Aug. 22. Preparing to return home to-morrow. 

Aug. 31. Returned home, after having made a visit to 
Jenny Sargent of four days. Have been busy cut- 
ting down five large pines on upper Entrance 
Avenue, which were much disfigured by a disease 
of the needles, becoming brown and falling prema- 
turely. This has been the occasion of some disap- 
pointment to me, as these white pines are among the 
largest on the place, having been planted when the 
house was built in 1852, and have reached seventy 
to eighty feet in height. They were, however, very 
much crowded, and had lost most of their lower 
branches, so I do not regret their loss so much, and, 
besides, there are some fine maples and other kinds 
back of the pines which will now show in the front 
row, and be at just the right distance from the 
avenue. The margin between the trees now and 
the avenue is accordingly increased, which is an im- 
portant point, in my opinion. It gives the trees 
room to develop without encroaching on the drive- 
way, and is decidedly more effective than when they 

227 



are near the edge, as they are generally planted — a 
mode very objectionable for many reasons. 

It appears to be generally admitted that the rain- 
fall this summer has been unusually abundant and 
well distributed, thus keeping the grass fresh and 
green up to the present moment. The trees like- 
wise have an unusual quantity of dark-green, 
healthy foliage, such as is rarely seen except in Eng- 
land. This is the case with all the trees on the 
place, and is particularly noticeable in the elms, 
which are apt to suffer in a dry season. 

It affords me much satisfaction and pleasure to 
add here that John, who is still with us, is enjoying 
himself in visiting his relatives and driving about the 
neighborhood, where great changes have taken 
place the last few years since he was here. He is 
much impressed with the beauty of the Parkway 
System, the Arboretum, and Franklin Park, which 
he admits are even superior to the famous Bois de 
Boulogne, which is so celebrated in Paris. The ex- 
tension of the electric-car system into the environs 
of the city, and the cheapness and rapidity of this 
mode of conveyance, surprise him greatly. 

Sept. 3. John measured the oak tree for the sixth time. 
[See article on Trees under same date.] 

Sept. 5. John left us to-day for Paris, after a very 
gratifying visit of seven weeks among his brothers 
and sisters. The weather has been exceedingly hot 
and oppressive ever since I returned from Wareham; 
thermometer about 85° every day, and up to 90° in 
Boston and 97° at Newport. 

228 



Sept. 15. Occupied in cutting down a large sugar- 
maple just south of house, which was too near a red 
maple at the corner of the road leading to stable, 
it opens a view of a grand mass of foliage of white 
pines and chestnut trees, planted between house and 
stable, enabling me to rearrange the shrubbery 
border and discontinue a path leading to side en- 
trance-door of house. In this way 1 am also able to 
give more room for a magnolia to develop, it being a 
remarkably fine tree, and attracts more attention 
and admiration than any other on the place. I shall 
enrich the soil around it in the hopes that it will con- 
tinue for many years to be an object of great inter- 
est. It was some dozen feet high when moved from 
Brighton here in 1856, and was thought to be cor- 
date, but is without much doubt acuminate. 

Sept. 30. At work in azalea garden; made a bed of 
Azalea amoena and clump of bamboos, which will 
be very ornamental if they do not spread too much, 
they being inclined to throw up suckers very freely. 
It is a warm, sunny spot, and several rare trees are 
growing nicely there, such as Magnolia acuminata, 
Cedrus Atlantica glauca, Cryptomeria Japonica, 
Thuya gigantea, Retinospora pisifera aurea, Taxus 
brevifolia, Cupressus Lawsoniana, IJbocedrus de- 
currens, Magnolia macrophylla. 

Oct. 4. Have been obliged to cut off roots of the three 
maple trees near the avenue. They enter into the 
borders with wonderful rapidity, and sap the soil of 
all its moisture. Ought to be cut off twice a year. 

Oct. 15. Am at work on foundations for six pedestals 
to be placed in front of pavilion. Am also taking 

229 



up the gravel walks and flower-beds in a little French 
parterre, which was made back of the house when it 
was built in 1852, and we had no other flower-gar- 
den. It has been filled with very choice bedding 
stuff, and was quite ornamental, but the Conserva- 
tory annex has taken its place and is more effective 
on the whole. 

Oct. 17. I am giving up by degrees ordinary bedding 
stuff, the cultivation of which is expensive and only 
one season's duration, and devoting all my time to 
the care of the shrubs and trees on the place. These 
are permanent, and ought to last several generations. 
They are now all in the most healthy condition, and 
I have every reason to believe that, with compara- 
tively little attention hereafter, they will continue to 
attract the notice of cultivators, and be considered 
one of the best collections in this part of the country. 
Fully realizing what an important feature in our 
place our beautiful lake is, and finding that the 
growth of the trees on the bank between the house 
and rustic summer-house has been so great of late 
years as almost to conceal the water, I have been 
cutting down some and trimming off the lower 
branches of others, and find it adds much to our 
water view. 

Oct. 24. Have had a very pleasant visit from one of 
our most distinguished writers on arboriculture, Mr. 
J. Muir of California, who drove up from Brook- 
line with Professor [C. S.] Sargent. He published 
a few years ago a book, giving a most graphic de- 
scription of the big Sequoioe Wellingtonice and many 
other wonderful conifers found in the Yosemite Val- 

230 



ley. We found him a most agreeable guest, very 
modest and unassuming, but full of interesting in- 
formation in regard to all the conifers and vegeta- 
tion in that wonderful part of our country. He is 
quite confident these trees are as much as four thou- 
sand years old, and he calls them " immortal! " He 
says the Douglas spruce, as it grows here, does not 
compare with those in California in size or beauty, 
but the concolor, on the contrary, was as fine as any 
in its native home. He was particularly interested 
in my collection of conifers as well as deciduous 
trees, and thought their great growth remarkable. 
He was also most favorably impressed with the 
grand view of the lake and trees as seen from the 
pavilion. 

Nov. 10. Have moved into cellar half-hardy rhodo- 
dendrons, hollies, palms, etc. Have put a wooden 
roof on the Conservatory annex. Have likewise 
put a lattice on the framework in half-hardy rhodo- 
dendron garden, instead of using canvas, which is 
not only expensive, but lasts only a few years. 

Nov. At work again in Pinetum. [See notes on 
Pinetum under November, 1898.] 

Nov. 13. Am most happy in the great enjoyment of a 
visit from my granddaughter Charlotte Sorchan, 
who is very dear to me, and, living in New York, I 
see but rarely. She has with her Mr. [V.] Sorchan 
and her little daughter Beatrice, which adds much to 
my pleasure. 

Nov. 17. Charlotte has just left me. 

Nov. 19. Have moved out plants from Conservatory. 

231 



Nov. 22. Have just completed six brownstone pedes- 
tals, placed on the sides of the approach to the pa- 
vilion, which, in my opinion, are quite ornamental, 
and a great addition to the varied attractions of the 
Italian garden and lake. 

Nov. 24. Had our usual Thanksgiving dinner in the 
hall. Present: Walter and his family with their 
cousin, Fanny Dwight, Henry and Mamy with their 
three girls, Jenny Sargent and her six children, in- 
cluding little Ruth, Arthur and wife with Jeanie, 
Julia, and Willie Patten (Margaret not well), and 
Frank. 

Nov. 27. We have an old-fashioned snow-storm, which 
was rarely exceeded in intensity in the days of our 
ancestors! The Weather Bureau predicted a severe 
snow-storm, and, for a wonder, was right; a north- 
west gale of wind, and the snow is badly drifted, five 
to six feet high, blocking up the roads, so that travel- 
ling was almost impossible all day yesterday. Ten 
to twelve inches of snow have fallen, and a great 
number of vessels have been wrecked on the coast, 
including the steamer Portland, with one hundred 
lives lost. No one had moved to the city, so the 
young folks are enjoying themselves and will have 
something to remember, as the newspapers say it is 
the greatest snow-storm that has occurred so early 
in the season since 1851. 

Nov. 30. I was thinking of remaining up here a couple 
of weeks longer, but, as there is so much snow on the 
ground, conclude to move in. It is impossible to do 
any work with a foot of snow on the ground. I 

232 



could occupy myself in the Sargent wood lot, where 
I am marking trees that are crowded and in bad con- 
dition, but with so much snow it is pretty hard work 
for a man who has passed his eighty-eighth birthday 
to move about. 

In spite of the storm, Frank has said good-bye to 
me, and Jenny Sargent with her family are also 
leaving for the city. 

All must acknowledge that we can with truth use 
the usual expression and say that this is so far " the 
most extraordinary winter we ever experienced." 

Obituary Notices. — It is somewhat of a singular 
coincidence that the last three of my contempora- 
ries have recently deceased at nearly the same time, 
though they varied considerably in their ages; J. M. 
Forbes being eighty-five years old, E. Austin, ninety- 
five, and Colonel Henry Lee, eighty-one, — all three 
of whom I had known for a great number of years. 
With Mr. Forbes I was particularly intimate forty 
years ago, being connected with him in several of the 
Western railroads, especially with the Hannibal and 
St. Joseph, which we built together with Mr. N. 
Thayer and a few others. He was surely a man of 
striking peculiarities; very popular and pleasant in 
his social relations; he had many warm friends, as 
we see by the numerous obituary notices which have 
appeared in the public prints. He was an indefat- 
igable worker, very enterprising and clever in the 
various business concerns in which he was engaged. 

I had also known Mr. [E.] Austin for many years, 
but had not seen a great deal of him or been on terms 
of great intimacy with him. 

233 



Colonel H. Lee, whom I have been acquainted 
with for many years, was an exceedingly agreeable 
man and highly esteemed in our community. He 
was very public-spirited and interested in all good 
works. He was Trustee with me in the Humane 
Society, and a member of the Committee of the Bo- 
tanical Garden of Harvard College. He took great 
interest in horticultural matters, and I have had the 
pleasure of entertaining him and his brother Frank 
frequently at Wellesley. 

It is sad for me to add that of all my numerous 
contemporaries, many of whom were in Paris, not 
one, so far as I know, is alive at the present time. I 
recollect, though, that I have much remaining to be 
most grateful for, surrounded, as I am, with my dear 
children, in whose abundant love and devotion I 
have been made so happy in my old age. 
Dec. 3. After an absence of over eight months, I find 
myself again once more in our favorite cosy red- 
room in Boston. I felt somewhat reluctant to leave 
Wellesley, where I have been so occupied and inter- 
ested among my plants and trees all summer; but 
with winter weather, there is little for me to do there, 
and it is decidedly more comfortable and cheerful 
for me in the city. "We find the snow piled up to 
such an extent as to surprise the oldest inhabitant, 
whoever he may be. To judge from present appear- 
ances, we are going to see an old-fashioned New 
England winter, such as our forefathers enjoyed be- 
fore the days of furnaces and many other modern 
luxuries too numerous to mention. 

234 



Dec. 24. Had our Christmas gathering to-day, — the 
twenty-Hfth falling on Sunday this year. Thirty- 
four present: F. W. H., Walter with his four boys 
and two daughters, Arthur and wife, four daugh- 
ters, son-in-law H. [M.] Harriman and Willie Pat- 
ten, Isabella and husband and four sons, and Susan, 
Jenny Sargent and husband and six children, Henry 
and wife and three daughters, Charlotte Sorchan 
and husband. Had a Christmas-tree and a juggler 
to amuse the children, and everything passed off 
most happily. 

Dec. 26. Went up to Wellesley the first time since we 
moved to the city. Lunched with Isabella. Snow 
from the 27th of November still on the ground. 
Walked all over the place and through the Sargent 
wood lot, where we are thinning out trees. Found 
the thermometer had registered 14^ below zero a 
fortnight ago. 

Dec. 29. Made a second visit to Isabella. 

1899 

Jan. 7. Isabella came down from Wellesley to pass the 
winter with me. Grippe very prevalent. 

Jan. 20. Went up to Wellesley, the first time for nearly 
three weeks, having been confined to the house with 
a cold and cough. I enjoyed my visit much. 
Found to my regret, that the foliage of my Cedrus 
Atlantica was a little browned, and I begin to doubt, 
after all, if this tree will prove perfectly hardy in 
this climate. It is still possible, however, that it is 

235 



only the foliage which is tender, and that the wood 
may be all right, and that we can treat it like a de- 
ciduous tree. 

Jan. 3 1 . Drove out to Brookline with Susan and called 
on Professor [C. S.] Sargent. Have also attended 
a meeting of the Directors of the Botanical Garden 
at Cambridge, A. Lyman, chairman, replacing 
Colonel H. Lee, deceased. 

Feb. 13. If by chance any one should ever look over 
this journal, he will find little else in it save an ac- 
count of severe droughts, hot and cold weather, such 
as never occurred before in the opinion of some per- 
sons, and snow-storms that would astonish the old- 
est inhabitant, if not our venerable forefathers, and 
yet I must say a word about our present winter, for 
possibly there may never be another like it. As I 
have said, we had a terrific snow-storm with a strong 
northerly wind on Nov. 27 ; since then we have been 
having unusually frequent snow-storms, making a 
good deal of sleighing, with the thermometer at zero 
and as far below as 15°. And now here the 13th of 
February we have another snow-storm, far exceed- 
ing in severity that just referred to in November. 
The quantity of snow fallen is some two feet, and 
badly drifted, as usual; so that it is piled up in the 
front yards even above some parlor windows, and 
reminding us of a like state of things which occurred 
when we were living in Winthrop Place forty years 
ago, causing a tremendous sensation. 

Feb. 17. Isabella with her husband and Robert, Henry 
and his wife, all left on a visit to Palm Beach. 

236 



March 8, 13, 17, and 24. Went up to Wellesley. 
March 26. Another snow-storm. 

March 30. Went to Wellesley, and found first signs of 
spring. 

April 8. Moved up to Wellesley, having been detained 
by continual cold and stormy weather. Ice had just 
left the pond — twenty-five days later than last year. 

April 20. Season backward. Moved rhododendrons 
into the tent. 

April 21. Moved plants into Conservatory. Find a. 
good many plants, such as Cupressus Laivsoniana 
and varieties, IJbocedrus decurrens, Cryptorneria 
Japonica, which have been out several years, are 
badly cut up, for the first time. Several rhododen- 
drons sent me by Waterer three years ago, num- 
bered, are also injured, and can only be grown in this 
climate by being moved into the cellar in winter. 

April 30. Season has caught up with last year, owing 
to very warm weather. Have found that, in addi- 
tion to plants named above, a large number of 
Retinosporoc pisiferce aurece in the Italian garden 
have also been killed, to my great surprise, as they 
were large, thrifty trees, and had been planted sev- 
eral years. In other parts of the place they have 
not suffered. This has been a great disappointment, 
and I have experienced great difficulty in replacing 
them with cedars and arbores vitae, etc. 

May 11. Put plants in Conservatory annex. Jap- 
anese weeping cherry tree did not blossom this year. 

May 20. Put up azalea tent. 

237 



May 30. Notwithstanding daily predictions of rain by 
the Weather Bureau, we have none as yet, strange 
to say, since 8th of April. 

June 5. The unusual and prolonged drought at this 
early season of the year has been the subject of gen- 
eral remark and complaint. It can be said that it is 
nearly two months since we have had any rain to do 
any good. 

June 7. A smart shower this afternoon — the first 
since April 8. Rhododendrons have made a great 
show. We have been having a good many visitors 
lately; among them, Mr. and Mrs. [C] Head, Mr. 
and Mrs. F. Merriam, Chas. Merriam, Mrs. F. 
L. Ames and daughter, Mr. [J.] Cuckson, Ellen 
Robbins and sister, Cousin Ellen Townsend and her 
brother Lloyd Britton. 

June 19. Azalea tent has been taken down. 

June 20. I drove over to Dedham yesterday with Wal- 
ter to S. [M.] Weld's place, which is surely inter- 
esting and unique in some respects. It is situated 
on very high ground, one hundred and twenty-five 
feet above the river, and covered with a good growth 
of forest trees and enormous ledges of rock, which 
give it a most picturesque aspect, and furnish nu- 
merous sheltered nooks admirably adapted for the 
cultivation of half-hardy plants, such as, for in- 
stance, a good specimen of cedar of Lebanon, six to 
seven feet high, in perfect health. There are like- 
wise a pretty little pond and waterfall, which add 
much to the attractions of the place and to the en- 
joyment of its enthusiastic owner. 

238 



June 21. I have written so much about rhododendrons 
in this journal that it is hardly necessary for me to 
say anything more, but it is a subject 1 do like to 
dwell upon, and so 1 must add a tew lines. It must 
be acknowledged the season has proved an unfa- 
vorable one: first, the severe winter, and, secondly, 
the unusually dry weather with a cloudless sky, 
causing the flowers to fade very quickly and the 
season a short one. They always have a decided 
advantage in Lngland over us, with their rainy and 
cloudy weather, enabling the flowers to continue in 
perfection for two or three weeks instead of as many 
days as here. 

July 4. Celebrated the day as usual, though with di- 
minished numbers, many of the family being absent. 
An unexpected circumstance, however, occurred, 
adding to the interest of the day, in a visit made us 
by Major-General Wood, who called with his wife 
in the afternoon. He so distinguished himself in 
the Spanish War that from the modest position of a 
surgeon in the army he suddenly became Military 
Governor of Santiago and a man of influence in the 
affairs of our country. We found him exceedingly 
pleasant and unassuming in his manners; and this 
visit made us was in recognition of a little service I 
rendered him at the suggestion of our old friend Dr. 
[G. J.J Townsend, several years ago, when he was 
a student in the medical school. 

July 8. Left for Bethlehem precisely the same day as 
last year. 

July 17. Frank joined me, and appears as fond of the 
mountains as the rest of us. 

239 



July 27. By the blessing of God, another year has 
been added to my already long life, I having this day 
reached the great age of eighty-nine years. 

Aug. 1. Cousin Ellen Townsend making a little visit. 

Aug. 21. We left our little Bethlehem cottage for 
Beverly Farms, where I made Hortense Head a visit 
of a couple of days with Frank, and then went to 
Bourne, where I passed three or four days very 
pleasantly with Arthur and his family. At the end 
of the week got settled down at Wellesley once more, 
and resumed my favorite occupation on the place. 
First, on the old flower-garden in rear of house, by 
substituting a heavy stone wall on northwesterly 
side for a grass bank, and removing to next terrace a 
flight of stone steps which had been there since 
1852. Have likewise improved the soil on the lower 
terrace, and planted cedars on each side of steps 
down to the pond. Have also commenced some im- 
provements on our Italian garden. 

Sept. 21. At last a good rain, and the drought existing 
for a good part of the summer ended. Very little 
green grass to be seen anywhere, and the foliage of 
many trees is dried up. Young horticulturalists 
like Henry have gotten the idea that it is the worst 
drought ever experienced in this great country. 

Oct. 1 . Still at work building stone wall rear of house. 

Oct. 5. Granddaughter Charlotte Sorchan here, mak- 
ing me a very pleasant short visit. 

Oct. 26. F. W. H., chairman of the Executive Com- 
mittee of the great C, B. and Q. Railroad, left on a 

240 



i 



tour of inspection of the road in company with Pres- 
ident Perkins. 

Nov. I. I supposed I had finished my tree-planting for 
this autumn after moving into the Italian garden five 
standard red cedars, hut I have been finding more 
pleasant occupation of the same nature in making 
what I have christened a "Japanese garden." I have 
chosen for this purpose a plot of ground on southerly 
front of Harris cottage, where originally an old apple 
orchard was planted. These apple trees I have cut 
down and replaced with more Japanese trees (sev- 
eral pisiferce aurece and obtusce having been mi.xed in 
with the apple trees some fifteen years ago) , such as 
Taxus cuspidata and brevifolia — -this latter is said 
by Nicholson to be a California tree; Tsu^a pat- 
toniana; several large Douglas spruces, fifteen feet 
high, brought down from pasture near end of Pond 
Road; small Abies concolor, Abies pun^ens ^lauca 
from Holland, Abies caroliniana, canadensis, and 
some dwarf spruces, also weeping red cedar. There 
were also planted more than forty years ago. imme- 
diately around Harris house, a lot of white pines, 
hemlocks, and Norway spruces, one Abies polita 
and one purple beech, which have now attained a 
large size. They concealed entirely the beautiful 
pond, so I am now cutting some of them down. It 
will surely make a lovely site for a cottage, one of 
these days, for a grandchild. 

Nov. 4. Isabella, with her husband, returned home 
from a visit to Europe of seven months, to our great 
joy. She left Susan in Hanover and Theodore and 
Arthur at school in England. 

241 



Nov. 11. Charlotte and husband with her daughter, 
my great-grandchild, a dear, interesting little tot 
two years old, making us a visit, which we are enjoy- 
ing immensely. 

Thinning out Pinetum, and have discontinued 
an asphalt walk running in an easterly direction 
through the Pinetum, made several years ago, and 
made another at the northerly end, which will be 
more useful and will not interfere with the trees. 
There will be a good place by the side of the steps 
for small growing evergreens that like the shade. 

Nov. 27. Have just completed the wall in rear of dwell- 
ing-house, and am much pleased with the fine effect 
produced, it exceeding most decidedly my fondest 
expectations. I don't think the project at first met 
with much approval from the members of my fam- 
ily, but now that it is completed they feel differently, 
and it is thought to be quite a feature in the place. 
When the piazza is altered, — which I propose doing 
shortly, — it will add still more to the attractions, 
and I should not be surprised if the rear view of the 
house eclipsed the front one of these days. I have 
likewise in mind some improvements down on the 
wharf, which will add materially to the view as seen 
from the upper terrace. 

After some hesitation, I have decided to remove 
the four wooden and stone flights of steps leading 
down the bank to the wharf, for some thirty years 
they being somewhat unsightly and quite unneces- 
sary. They surely injure the view now considerably 
as seen from the new parapet wall above, over which 
visitors will naturally be inclined to look down, and 

242 



I 



their removal will also enable me to improve the 
space by a plantation of shrubbery which will be 
very attractive. What particular kind of shrub shall 
be used for that purpose may be slightly doubtful, 
though I am strongly in favor of my favorite rhodo- 
dendron, it is universally recognized in Europe, 
among the hardy shrubs, as one of the most orna- 
mental grown, combining, as it does, with its gor- 
geous flowers and fine foliage, more than any other 
shrub in cultivation. The objection may be urged 
that we have already an abundance of these shrubs, 
to which I will reply, first, that I do not propose to 
increase the number, as 1 should merely remove 
them from another part of the place; second, that it 
is, and has been for years, my desire and aim to have 
our estate known as possessing the largest and best 
collection in New England; and, lastly, it is my 
opinion that it really is the most ornamental shrub 
we can grow in our climate, and so I give it a most 
decided preference over all others. Some persons 
may prefer the lilacs, which we all admit have much 
to recommend them, but how is it when they are not 
in flower, which is a large portion of the year? Are 
they not an eyesore, rather than an ornament, in a 
very conspicuous place, such as that in question? 
Of this there is no doubt in my mind. 
Nov. 30. Thanksgiving day. Once more we have been 
permitted to enjoy the great blessing of a family 
gathering on a Thanksgiving day, and we can truly 
say that, as we grow older, W3 appreciate more and 
more this joyful occasion, which enables us to have 
around us so many of those we love dearly. Al- 

243 



though we missed much the absence of all of Isa- 
bella's children, who are scattered about in England, 
Germany, and Japan, yet we mustered twenty-two 
at table to-day, and eight little grandchildren at a 
side table, which is doing pretty well, and for which 
we feel most grateful. It is doubtful if there are a 
great many others equally blessed in living to such 
an old age and surrounded by so many of their de- 
scendants. 

Dec. 5. Isabella and husband left me this morning for 
New York, from whence they sail to-morrow in the 
St. Paul for Southampton, to join Susan, Theo- 
dore, and Arthur, the two latter being at school in 
England. She has been making me a delightful 
visit of a month, which has made me very happy. 

Dec. 7. Finished terraces back of the house, and have 
discharged all day-laborers for the present. 

Dec 11. Moved to the city. Length of residence, 
eight months, three days. Walter and his family 
also came down to pass the winter with me. The 
weather having been exceptionally fine and cool 
lately, with plenty of work on the place to superin- 
tend, I have remained longer than usual at Welles- 
ley. 

Dec. 25. Celebrated Christmas day, as usual, by a 
family gathering, all being present except Isabella 
and her children; Charlotte and husband came on 
from New York, also Isabella Harriman. Had a 
little entertainment in the afternoon for the children 
— a ventriloquist and a Japanese juggler who was 
very skilful and amusing. 

244 



Dec. 27. A light rain, which is the subject of general 
remark, being of rare occurrence. Have been up 
to Wellesley twice since we came to town. 



1900 

Jan. 1. First snow-storm this winter — an unusual oc- 
currence. 

Jan. 30. Went up to Wellesley. No snow since Jan. 1. 
Found a Cedrus Atlantica glauca, opposite Harris 
house, looking finely, and I am encouraged to think, 
after all, that this tree may prove a success. 

Feb. 13. Our snowless winter alluded to continues to 
this date, and makes it really remarkable and worthy 
of special notice. All we can boast of is one little 
baby snow-storm, hardly sufficient to enable a sleigh 
to scratch along for twenty-four hours. Of course 
it does not follow that we shall not yet get our usual 
quantum, but my grandson Willard is very positive 
we shall have none at all, and that we shall be mov- 
ing up to Wellesley in a few weeks. " Nous verrons, 
mon beau gargon! " 

Feb. 16. A decent-sized snow-storm at last. 

Feb. 17. A little dance we had this evening as a compli- 
ment to a very interesting member of our family, our 
granddaughter Louisa, who is passing the winter 
with me, proved to be a happy and successful effort 
to secure for her and a few of her young friends an 
opportunity for an evening's enjoyment in anticipa- 
tion of their " coming out " another year, which they 
are naturally looking forward to with much eager- 

245 



ness as one of the great events of their lives. Some 
thirty young girls, whose ages were assumed not to 
exceed sixteen years, with double that number of the 
other sex, gathered here and managed to enjoy them- 
selves immensely. It was certainly a most success- 
ful entertainment in every respect. The girls were 
all lovely; the boys very devoted to them, of course, 
particularly so in one or two cases, but that is gen- 
erally expected, and adds materially to the interest 
of these occasions. 

Feb. 25. Owing to our remarkable winter in respect to 
its small quantity of snow, I have been enabled to go 
up to Wellesley frequently, and to enjoy myself in 
walking about the place comfortably. It was espe- 
cially pleasant at Wellesley yesterday when I was 
there, and found the ice beginning to break up — a 
very rare circumstance at this early period, and leads 
me to consider the probability of my being able to 
move up there a few weeks earlier than in previous 
years, say about the middle of March; but March is 
decidedly a treacherous month. 

March 9. Went up to Wellesley. 

March 15. Moved up to Wellesley to-day with Walter 
and his children, to the astonishment of our city 
friends, it being twenty-four days earlier than last 
year and several days earlier than we ever came be- 
fore. It makes our winter residence in the city a 
very short one — three months and four days. 

March 31. There is too much snow on the ground for 
planting, but 1 have found enough to occupy me 
about the place. Have had two or three men pull- 

246 



fl 



ing down what remained of our old Grapery, the first 
building of the kind erected on the place years and 
years ago. Have also had carpenters at work on 
our back piazza putting upon the roof a balustrade 
similar to that on the house and Conservatory and 
paving the floor with bricks, making a decided im- 
provement in the appearance of the north side of the 
house. 

April 30. F. W. H. came up for the summer. 

May 3. Have at last completed alteration on the piazza, 
which gives great satisfaction and is a decided im- 
provement. Walter and his children left me on the 
first, after having passed several months with me in 
Boston and at Wellesley. They have all been very 
devoted, and their visit has added much to my com- 
fort and enjoyment. Have been planting some fine 
rhododendrons on the terraces back of the house, 
which must in time make a great show, and I expect 
to realize my expectations as expressed last Novem- 
ber in this journal. 

May 6. Have had a pleasant visit to-day from my 
most excellent and highly esteemed friend. Profes- 
sor C. S. Sargent, who has for some forty years 
taken a very warm and active interest in our place 
here, and to whom I am much indebted for a great 
deal of valuable advice that he has from time to time 
given me as to its management. He is indeed al- 
ways willing to serve his friends in this way, and 
ready particularly to urge them to cut down their 
trees where they have been planted, as is generally 
the case, too thick and likely to injure each other. 

247 



For this he is very severely criticised, and has the 
reputation in our community of often sacrificing un- 
necessarily many beautiful trees. It is possible he 
may have gone too far with his hobby in a few cases, 
— I have sometimes thought myself he had done 
so, — but, after all, I don't think I have ever cut 
down a tree by his advice which I had reason later to 
regret, and, on the other hand, I am quite sure I am 
under great obligation to him for numerous sugges- 
tions which have proved most decided improvements 
and added to the attractions of our place in many 
ways. That his great reputation as one of our most 
distinguished horticulturalists in the country has suf- 
fered somewhat from this cause is very certain, but 
this criticism is generally confined to persons of 
very little experience and whose opinions on the sub- 
ject are really of little value. I have, for my part, 
great faith in his excellent judgment in this matter, 
as well as in the cultivation of trees and landscape 
gardening generally. His intimate knowledge of all 
trees and shrubs is perfectly wonderful, as is plainly 
shown by his great book recently published. The 
S'dva of North America, which is recognized not 
only here, but in Europe, as the most elaborate and 
reliable work in existence on the trees of this 
country. 
May 12. Although it has been generally considered 
that our spring was about as early as usual, we have 
been amazed on going out this morning to find we 
have been visited by one of the most severe frosts I 
have ever witnessed so late in May. The effects are 
disastrous. 

248 



^ 



May 13. Isabella, who left me last December for 
Europe, has returned to-day, to my great joy, ac- 
companied by Susan and Arthur and Walter's 
daughter Mary, who had been absent a long year. 

Susan Shaw arrived From Europe, still singing 
that favorite ditty from Wagner, 

" Bon jour, monsieur, inadame. 
How do you do? How do you do? " ' 

Mr. Arthur Shaw sings with great gusto, 
" Dukes ' sons, cooics ' sons, " etc' 

May 27. Fire in the Hecla Mine. 
Put up azalea tent. 

June 1. I have been much interested lately in the pro- 
ject to erect a new building for the use of our Hor- 
ticultural Society on Huntington Avenue, their old 
accommodations on Tremont Street having been 
found insufficient for their necessary requirements. 
A special committee, appointed a year ago, has been 
giving the matter much attention, in the hope of pro- 
viding the society with a building which will not only 
furnish them with greatly increased accommoda- 
tions for their exhibitions, surpassing those of any 
similar society in this country, but one which will 
likewise be an ornament to our city. The plans 
recommended by the committee and approved by the 
members call for an expenditure of nearly $300,000 
for the building alone, to which must be added 
$225,000, the cost of the land, making a total in- 

'This entry is in F. W. H.'s handwriting. 

249 



vestment of over $500,000 — a big sum for an insti- 
tution. Fortunately, they have in hand the means 
providing for this large sum, what with the sale of 
their present building and a considerable amount be- 
queathed to them by F. B. Hayes. Their addi- 
tional facilities in the possession of the society will 
prove of great benefit to the public, and will add, it 
is hoped, to an increased interest in the cultivation of 
plants and the love of horticulture generally in this 
neighborhood. 

June 8. The azalea garden is superb, the Ghents su- 
perior to anything we have ever had, the plants hav- 
ing attained a large size, with one mass of their 
orange flowers with a great variety of shades brilliant 
beyond expression. The rhododendrons are not 
quite in full flower. Fine plants of C. S. Sargent 
and Mrs. Sargent are just coming into flower; also 
F. L. Ames, which I consider one of the very best 
perfectly hardy varieties that we have. Mrs. R. G. 
Shaw is lovely, but not sufficiently hardy for general 
cultivation in this vicinity. Lady Mosely is much 
admired, with its large flowers, — twenty-five in a 
truss. 

June 1 1. Rhododendrons, if possible, finer than ever! 
All agree there is no shrub to compare with them for 
grand effect. Those in the lattice tent are much ad- 
mired, — the foliage under the lattice shade being 
very dark green, equal to any in the English climate, 
owing to the partial shade they get under the lattice, 
which is very similar to what they have in the cloudy 
English climate. Had many visitors to-day: Mrs. 
Nat Thayer and daughters, Mrs. Eugene Thayer, 

250 



Mrs. John and Bayard Thayer, Mrs. F. L. Ames, 
Mrs. Montgomery Sears, F^rofessor and Mrs. [C. S.] 
Sargent, Miss [B.] Jones, Chas. F. Adams and 
wife, Mr. and Mrs. F. Merriam, and Judge [li. H.] 
Howland and his wife. 

June 17. The azaleas have been very much admired, 
and well they may be, for the profusion of their 
flowers of different shades of orange strikes our nu- 
merous visitors with perfect astonishment, there be- 
ing nothing of the kind in this part of the country to 
compare with it. Many persons, when asked which 
they prefer, rhododendrons or azaleas, are puzzled 
to give an answer. The first effect is certainly most 
striking and dazzling, but they don't equal the rho- 
dodendrons, all points considered, in my opinion. 
That they are the two finest hardy shrubs in exis- 
tence will be admitted by most people, that is very 
certain. 

June 23. A few notes on this shrub — i.e., Kalmia lati- 
folia, which are flowering this year to an unusual 
extent and attracting much attention — so much so 
that some people think they compare favorably with 
rhododendrons. They are lovely, to be sure, and 
are of the easiest cultivation. My friend Professor 
C. S. Sargent, who has been here to-day, is most en- 
thusiastic about them, and laments not having 
planted them himself more extensively a great many 
years ago. The question, when I planted the border 
on north side of grave! walk, in what I call my rho- 
dodendron garden, a short distance from pavilion, 
was discussed. I have no date to decide the point, 
but there can be no doubt it was at least thirty years 

251 



ago, and that the plants were imported from Eng- 
land a few years previous. Those on the bank, near 
the Rockery and pond, were not planted until sev- 
eral years later. There are one or two varieties be- 
sides the latifolia, but are not essentially different. 
I had a few, but they have been lost sight of. 

June 28. An event of more than ordinary interest hav- 
ing occurred among the younger members of our 
family, I will take notice of it here. I have in mind 
the Young Ladies' Tennis Tournament in Philadel- 
phia, in which one of my granddaughters has taken 
a prominent part, causing a little flutter in our family 
circle. It did astonish me somewhat when I heard 
the news that this young lady, with her distinguished 
talents, hardly out of her teens, had taken a long 
journey to the City of Philadelphia for this extraor- 
dinary purpose, and I could not but wonder what 
our great-great-grandmothers would say should 
they happen to hear of it! However, I am told I 
need not worry, she being a pretty smart young lady, 
fully capable to take care of herself; still I have a 
faint idea there is a mystery connected with it which 
time may explain.^ 

July 2. Have had a week's visit from granddaughter 
Charlotte Sorchan, her husband, and daughter 
Beatrice, a most interesting child, which I have much 
enjoyed. 

July 3. Went to the city to-day, the first time for over 
a month. 

' This note refers to Miss Margaret F. Hunnewell, — Ed. 

252 



July 4. Celebrated the Fourth on Walter's lawn by a 
family gathering in the usual manner. Did our best 
in glorifying our ancestors who fought for our 
liberty one hundred and twenty-five years ago, 
though some of us could but doubt if our rulers of 
the present day were as equally disinterested and 
governed solely by the best of motives in our recent 
wars. However, there are too many side issues in- 
volved in political matters for all ever to agree, 
even if we should succeed in civilizing the whole 
world, according to our own notions of what is right 
and just. We counted over thirty present, although 
Robert and Hollis Shaw were absent, and had a 
baseball game, in which some of the young ladies 
took part, replacing three of the older male members, 
who gracefully retired from active service. 

July 5. Left for Bethlehem, where we arrived without 
any fatigue. 

July 13. Frank came up to Bethlehem to make me his 
usual visit. 

F. W. H. has a most severe attack of varicose 
veins, but has only one nurse. Rector's wife very 
sympathetic' 

July 27. When one reaches the great age of ninety 
years, it is an event of such rare occurrence that it 
naturally excites much interest among the members 
of a family and even in the community. By the 
great blessing of God this has been my experience, 
and I am receiving numerous messages of congratu- 
lations from relatives and friends, and likewise visits 

' This entry is in F. W. H.'s handwriting. 

253 



from my daughters, Mrs. Shaw, Mrs. Sargent, and 
Arthur's wife, and from my friend Professor C. S. 
Sargent and his wife, all of whom came up from the 
city and dined with me on this my ninetieth birthday. 
It was a most happy occasion certainly, much en- 
joyed by us all, including Frank, who was staying 
with me, and to me particularly it was gratifying 
beyond expression. That my life should have been 
spared for such an unusual number of years is an 
experience so rarely realized that it excites much in- 
terest among my friends, and I feel most grateful 
for it, as well as for the great prosperity and happi- 
ness with which I have been favored during my pro- 
longed life. 

Aug. 30. Left Bethlehem via Notch this day for 
Wellesley, where I arrived with little fatigue, though 
the weather was hot. 

Sept. 5. Returned from a short visit to West Chop, 
where I passed a few days very pleasantly with Isa- 
bella in her new cottage. The growth of the trees 
and shrubs during the summer I find is eminently 
satisfactory. The conifers and rhododendrons, par- 
ticularly, are in a fine, healthy condition, and I am 
confident will be found more interesting than ever 
by our numerous visitors. I attribute this in a great 
measure to their having received more care and at- 
tention during my two months' absence by our new 
gardener, Hatfield, than they have had a great many 
years past from his predecessor, who had become 
old and infirm and who gave no personal attention 
to anything outside of the greenhouses. 

254 



Sept. 16. At last we have a good rain-storm, which 
was indeed much wanted, for nearly everything out 
of reach of the hose was suffering more or less, and 
in some cases beyond recovery. Were it not for the 
abundant supply of water furnished by the town, 
the disasters would, of course, have been still 
greater, though they are surely bad enough as it is. 
By many it is thought to be the very worst drought 
we have ever experienced, but unless one keeps an 
accurate account of the weather each year to refer 
to, it is impossible to make a correct comparison, 
even if one is blessed with an excellent memory. 
Walter has been very positive this has been the most 
severe drought that ever occurred here, but he took 
it all back after reading what I wrote only one short 
year ago on this subject, on Sept. 21, 1899. The 
fact is, the present generation, who are enjoying 
luxuries of every description nowadays, know little 
of the difficulties that attended formerly the cultiva- 
tion of horticulture and the hardships and disap- 
pointments we had to contend with. What would 
they say if they had to divide a tub of rain water 
caught from the roof of the house with household 
requirements? or how would they like it at a later 
period, when we were able to build brick cisterns, 
from which we had to pump the water and lug it 
about in pails? We have had this year, to be sure, 
in addition to the drought, a fearful tornado, the 
wind blowing, 't is said, forty miles an hour, unroot- 
ing many trees and stripping the apple and pear trees 
of most of their fruit. The dry weather alluded to 

255 



above has enabled me, since I returned home from 
Bethlehem, to do some work on the place of a na- 
ture that I like particularly to attend to personally. 
A Japanese yew {Taxus brevifolia), the finest one 
on the place, was planted years ago on the edge of 
the azalea garden close to a grave, walk, and was 
suffering from the want of better soil for i^s roots. 
It was much too large to transplant successfully, and 
I have therefore removed the gravel walk and made a 
new entrance to the garden. It is not so direct or 
convenient as the old one, but it enables me to en- 
large the border for the yew, which was desirable, 
and it also makes a pine tree near it — one of the 
finest and largest on the place — to become more 
prominent and show to more advantage. I have, at 
the same time, improved the gravel walk leading 
down to the lower lodge, which is used a greai deal 
by visitors. Have trenched the ground under the 
large hemlocks and planted it with a great variety 
of rare trees and shrubs, — such as Azalea convena, 
bamboos, torreyas, English yews, boxes, Thuyopsis 
dolabrata, cryptomeria, cedars of Lebanon, Taxus 
canadensis, Osage Orange, — so it will in time be 
very attractive and interesting. 
Sept. 27. All our young folks having now returned to 
their several homes from their midsummer wander- 
ings, Wellesley is a happy land again for our family, 
and is becoming every day more and more dear to us 
all. The several residences of the different mem- 
bers of the family, of which the whole estate is com- 
posed, make a very effective group and have ac- 
quired a merited reputation for their numerous at- 

256 



tractions, far superior to anything in the neighbor- 
hood, and attract great numbers of visitors, even 
from remote parts of our country. The trees have 
under good cultivation attained a great size, and im- 
provements in all the places are being constantly 
made by their owners, who are more and more in- 
terested and attached to them. Three grandsons 
have already graduated from Harvard College, and 
two of them are continuing their studies at the In- 
stitute of Technology, with two granddaughters, 
their cousins; another granddaughter has just 
passed most successfully her examinations at Rad- 
cliffe, three more grandsons are in college at this 
lonient, thus representing our family in those in- 
stitutions in a most gratifying manner, and prepar- 
ing themselves for the more active duties of mature 
life.' 

Oct. 5. Moved into winter quarters all the vases used 
on the Italian garden balustrades. 

Oct. 6. Had a very pleasant visit to-day from our 
friend Dr. John Homans, who was a classmate at 
Harvard of our son Hollis, and had not been here at 
Wellesley since the two were here together some 
forty years ago. He was much interested and sur- 
prised at the photographs in the blue-room of our 
children and grandchildren; considered them most 
unusual and remarkable family groups for these 
days, exceeding anything of the kind in all his ex- 

' The grandsons having graduated arc H. H. Hunnewell, jr , Rohert and Hollis 
Shaw, the latter two continuing at Technology with Miss Mary Hunnewell and 
Miss Susan W. Shaw. Miss Jane W. Sargent passed her examinations at Rad- 
cliffe; and the three grandsons in college are Walter, Frank, and NX'illard Hun- 
newell.— Ed. 

257 



perience. The fact of my living to such a great age 
myself, and gathering around me so many of my 
descendants, was a very rare circumstance also, and 
interested him greatly. 

Oct. 1 1. We have been housing the half-hardy plants 
in the grounds, and clearing the Conservatory annex 
of its contents. 

Oct. 19. This journal was originally intended mainly 
as a record of the weather as connected with horti- 
cultural matters, with an occasional notice of some 
unusual family occurrence. In those days amuse- 
ments were of such a simple nature that tennis and 
golf were games few ever heard of, and still fewer 
knew anything about. But what a change do we 
see in these latter days, when a tennis tournament of 
young damsels is proclaimed all over the country 
by telegraph as an event of importance equal to the 
election of a governor of the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts! On taking up my morning paper 
the other day I was not a little alarmed on seeing our 
name in such large letters that I began to fear an 
elopement had occurred, and my mind was relieved 
only after finding that my granddaughter Margaret 
had become the Champion Tennis Player in the 
great State of Massachusetts! It was somewhat of 
a surprise and much of a gratification to grandpa to 
hear she had so distinguished herself, though it was 
to be naturally expected that such a dashing young 
Wellesley belle would beat a Pittsburg girl. No 
wonder the telegraph operators were made busy, 
particularly those of Wellesley, with the numerous 
messages of congratulations they transmitted! 

258 



Oct. 31. This has been rather a mild month. 1 have 
been interested in enclosing the annex to our Con- 
servatory with a glass front and introducing on the 
north side a coil of hot-water pipes, which supply a 
sufficient amount of heat at this season of the year 
to keep out frost, so we find it a grand place for our 
chrysanthemums, which show off to the best advan- 
tage from the drawing-room, as well as from the 
avenue. It will also enable us to use the annex quite 
early in the spring with our exhibition of Indian 
azaleas and many half-hardy plants. 

Nov. 5. All the young folks moving to the city. 

Nov. 8. Had a very pleasant visit from N. Thayer and 
Mr. and Mrs. [C] Head. 

Nov. 10. Charlotte, with her husband and little daugh- 
ter Beatrice, making us her usual autumn visit, 
which we enjoy greatly. 

Nov. 15. Have housed rhododendrons and the half- 
hardy plants in the pits and cellars. 

Nov. 23. A great affliction has come upon us by the 
death of one of the members of our large family in 
Walter's son Willard, a young man of much prom- 
ise.who had just entered Harvard College, and was 
much interested in his studies. He was endeared to 
all of us, and a most grateful remembrance will ever 
be cherished of him by his many relatives and 
friends. It is the first death that has ever occurred 
to any one in our family near his age of eighteen 
years, and he has been a victim of that new and mys- 
terious disease, appendicitis, in spite of the devotion 

259 



of the most skilful surgeon and careful nursing dur- 
ing his few days of illness. 
Nov. 29. Thanksgiving day has been a sad one; 
weather mild, but overcast and damp. I lunched 
with Jenny Sargent and her children. 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS 

This great autumn flower is evidently becoming 
more and more popular, not only in this country, 
but likewise in Europe, where it is exciting increased 
attention, as shown by their exhibitions, elaborate 
reports of which appear in all their horticultural 
magazines. 

For several reasons I have never given them, my- 
self, any attention, nor did Harris, who was not dis- 
tinguished for superior cultivation in chrysanthe- 
mums. Our present gardener, Hatfield, however, 
is an expert, and our new arrangement of the Con- 
servatory annex, being an ideal one for the show of 
plants to the greatest possible advantage, it is pos- 
sible or probable we shall have larger and finer dis- 
plays in the future. 

It must be acknowledged it is a flower well worthy 
of extra expense and care in its cultivation. It 
comes in at a season when we have very few others. 
It has a great variety of colors, makes a magnificent 
show, and the flowers retain their freshness and 
beauty for an unusually long period, — a good 
month, — which is a great recommendation. 

260 



Dec. 16. Having made more improvements in our Con- 
servatory annex, referred to Oct. 31,1 will now add 
I have cut a window on easterly side of drawing- 
room looking into the annex, making a most attrac- 
tive vista the whole distance from the blue-room and 
hall. It is quite a feature, adding much to the at- 
tractions of the Conservatory and its surroundings, 
and is greatly admired by all our visitors. The im- 
provement furnishes me with an excellent sheltered 
promenade where I can get a little exercise and fresh 
air in stormy weather. 

Young folks are skating in the cove by the Pond 
Road. 

Dec. 24. The weather is thought to be remarkable; 
thermometer 60 \ and is considered very unusual by 
people generally, but it was about the same last 
year, as may be seen by referring back. 

Dec. 26. For the first time since a great many years 
(so many, I hardly dare say) we have omitted our 
regular family gathering on Christmas day. It was 
thought best, under existing circumstances, instead, 
to invite the workmen's children, some fifty of them, 
who assembled in the Conservatory annex and en- 
joyed themselves much. A good supply of books, 
clothing, and ice-cream was distributed. 

1901 

Jan. 13. Henry and Mamy drove up from Boston and 
lunched with us. Had also a visit from Frank Hun- 
newell with his sister Mary. Weather very fine 
indeed. 

261 



A WINTER IN WELLESLEY 

Feb. After a summer residence of some sixty years 
(since 1840) at Wellesley, I now find myself for 
the first time passing the winter here likewise. We 
have been for some time gradually increasing the 
length of our visits until this year, when I find my- 
self here in midwinter, but confined mostly to my 
chambers by illness, an invalid, which prevents my 
removal; but, all things considered, 1 suppose I am, 
in some important respects, better off here than I 
should be in the city. The house is large, well ven- 
tilated, and particularly well adapted for an invalid. 
The large hall affords abundance of room for exer- 
cise in bad weather; and, when it is pleasant, the 
winter garden connected with the piazza furnishes 
the most admirable atmosphere that can be con- 
ceived of for one not in robust health, and I am en- 
joying it to my great benefit. I don't suppose I shall 
be allowed, at this inclement season, to get much 
outdoor exercise for another month, so I may be 
obliged to rely entirely upon it, and I think I am very 
fortunate. 

March 10. I am still in the hands of the doctors, 
though Dr. [C. H.] Cook is the only one to visit me 
regularly, but he is very devoted and watches me 
with great care and attention. I have made most 
decided progress the past week in regaining my 
health and strength, driving out every fine day. 

March 22. Heavy rain-storms recently have carried 
off all the snow, and signs of spring are appearing. 

March 27. Continued warm rain-storms have caused 

262 



all the ice in the pond to disappear suddenly to-day, 
and 1 am not sorry that it has all gone to the bottom. 

April 9. The rainy weather continues; have scarcely 
seen the sun for a week, so 1 have been housed most 
of the time, to my great regret. Moving from the 
pits and cellars half-hardy plants, which 1 am un- 
able to superintend, to my great regret. This is the 
first time it has occurred in my long horticultural ex- 
perience of nearly sixty years! 

April 16. The stormy weather just alluded to still con- 
tinues, and is not very favorable for invalids. The 
young folks, however, are moving up, and will soon 
be established here for the spring season, but mid- 
summer will see them at the sea-shore, as usual. 
We are moving out half-hardy shrubs from the pits, 
also half-hardy rhododendrons, many of which we 
are putting in tubs to be sent to Boston for the Ex- 
hibition at the new Horticultural Hall, the latter part 
of next month. 



WINTER OF 1900-1901 

Although we have not had the thermometer much 
below zero this winter, it seems to have been unus- 
ually disastrous on vegetation, especially rhododen- 
drons, many having been injured, and some killed 
that have been tested for several years and were con- 
sidered perfectly reliable in our climate. Even some 
of the old-established plants, such as Albium grandi- 
florum and delicatissimum, have been injured in 
some cases, but generally where they were exposed 

263 



to the sun, which I think is one cause of injury when 
the plants are frozen very hard. I find the rhodo- 
dendrons in the tent garden, as it is called, — I mean 
the hardy ones, — have not suffered, confirming my 
theory that the sun is the cause of their injury rather 
than the cold. None of the spruces or firs in the 
Pinetum have suffered at all; only a few retino- 
sporas and Cupressus Lawsonianoe and decurrentes 
have been touched. Torreyas all right and very 
promising. The Cedrus Atlantica glauca the same 
when well cultivated and not too much exposed. 
Cryptomeria Japoriica badly cut up. 

April 27. As we all know, the weather is a frequent 
subject of remark, and is often thought to be very 
unusual at certain periods. Such is the case just 
at this moment, and with good reason, it must be 
confessed, we having had a succession of cloudy, 
foggy weather during the whole of this month up to 
this day. There has likewise been a heavy rainfall, 
interfering much with outdoor work, and I am just 
planting out my choice rhododendrons in our tent 
garden, which I am able to fill, although I have re- 
served a great many to send to Boston for the Horti- 
cultural Exhibition next month in their new build- 
ing. 

May 5. At last we have a few days of pleasant weather, 
enabling me to dig up some of the rhododendrons 
which have been killed or severely injured the past 
winter. Have also had a visit from my friend Pro- 
fessor C. S. Sargent, who came up to see the plants, 
especially the rhododendrons (his own having suf- 
fered badly) which are intended for the exhibition 

264 



on the twenty-ninth, and he is very much relieved to 
find we shall be able to send down a good supply. 

May 20. Dull, rainy weather still continues, and is the 
occasion of much complaint among the golf-players 
especially. The magnolia and weeping Japanese 
cherry in front of the house have been in flower 
three or four days and are much admired, as well 
they may be, for there is nothing of the kind to com- 
pare with them in beauty at this moment surely, 
though my friend the professor has, or pretends to 
have, an idea that the modest lilac bush is their supe- 
rior. The wistarias will soon be in flower and make 
up for their entire failure the past two years, when 
they have been entirely ruined by late spring frosts. 
The standards — we have some twelve to fifteen feet 
high — will make a great show one of these days, 
when the spreading heads, becoming of large size, 
will be very effective and attract much attention. 
They have the advantage, when grown in this man- 
ner, of being easily protected with a piece of canvas 
from our late spring frosts, which ruins them more 
than half the time in this neighborhood. 

May 28. We have had two or three days of real sum- 
mer weather. Nothing can exceed the beauty of 
the new foliage of the trees and shrubs. We are 
beginning to send down plants for the Horticul- 
tural exhibition on June 3, four loads of palms hav- 
ing gone to-day. To get the different varieties of 
rhododendrons in flower together has been attended 
with an immense amount of labor, putting some in 
the barn cellar and forcing others under glass, and 

265 



all together it is quite an undertaking, but it is to be 
hoped we shall succeed in having a grand show. 
June 8. We put up the azalea tent yesterday, and have 
filled the centre portion with hydrangeas instead of 
Indian azaleas, as in former days. The plants have 
been there now a good many years, and some have 
attained a large size, exciting great admiration from 
most of our numerous visitors, and I am myself 
more and more satisfied with the result of my efforts 
in making them a special feature of the place, the 
same as is the case with the rhododendrons. It is to 
me much more satisfactory than the ordinary shrubs, 
which are easily cultivated and are grown by every 
one who has a garden. To my mind, there is as 
much difference between them as there is between an 
orchid and other flowers, or as there is in one of our 
dear young ladies giving a preference to a French 
dress from Paris to a calico one, even if it should be 
very pretty. 

Went to Boston on the 5th inst., the first time 
for several months, to see the Flower Exhibition in 
the new building just being completed by our Horti- 
cultural Society on Huntington Avenue. It has 
been erected by a Building Committee of which our 
friend. Professor [C. S.] Sargent, is the leading 
member, and it may be said that he alone is entitled 
to the credit of the success of the undertaking, al- 
though it has been looked upon with little or indeed 
no favor at all by a large portion of the most active 
members of the society and by the public press of 
Boston likewise, strange to say. One would natur- 
ally suppose these latter would have used all their 

266 



influence in aiding such a worthy institution as our 
Horticultural Society, and it is to be regretted that 
any one of them should, from any personal or other 
motive, have not been glad of an opportunity to do 
so. Several of the New York papers, on the con- 
trary, published very lengthy and complimentary 
articles on the occasion. However, notwithstand- 
ing this drawback, the exhibition has been the larg- 
est and most attractive ever shown in the city or 
country. Professor [C. S.] Sargent's collection of 
some one hundred and fifty Indian azaleas were the 
great feature of the show. They were all specimen 
plants of good size, and were much admired by the 
numerous visitors. It is a favorite greenhouse 
shrub, which has been in cultivation in this country 
for a century, to a limited extent, but never in a 
private collection in such large numbers. Our friend 
the professor, as is well known, has very decided 
notions (some would say extreme) on most mat- 
ters pertaining to horticulture; one being he won't 
cultivate any but single-flowering varieties. This, of 
course, is all very well so far as he is concerned per- 
sonally, — most of us have our preferences, — but 
this exhibition being a public one, criticisms must be 
allowed. While we all admit the plants and their 
arrangements were most effective and a great suc- 
cess, still, to have only three colors in such a large 
number of plants, and no doubles, when there are 
so many of them now which are considered infinitely 
superior to the old single ones by most people, one 
cant but think the show might have been even more 
attractive than it was. 

267 



To help the professor in his great undertaking, I 
sent down some fifty of our choicest rhododendrons, 
some very large ones, and all in tubs, as we had to 
force them in the greenhouse in order that they 
might be in flower at the same time as the Indian 
azaleas. This involved a good deal of labor, and 
then could only be imperfectly accomplished. We 
also sent in over one hundred of our orchids, a large 
number of gloxianas, geraniums, and several loads 
of palms, several very large ones, and so did a little 
in making the exhibition attractive. 

June 17. Although I had arrived at a great age some 
time ago, my life has been spared another year with 
great prosperity, enabling me to take part in the care 
of my flowers and so enjoy one more season with 
them and my dear children. Great blessings, in- 
deed, are these, for which I fail to find the words 
adequate to express my gratitude to my Creator. 

June 21. We were favored a few days ago with a visit 
from Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Adams of Lincoln, and one 
likewise from my friend. Professor [C. S.] Sargent 
and wife. The place was looking finely; azalea 
tent most charming with its mass of gay colors, and 
the rhododendrons just in their prime, especially 
those in the tent, the professor being more interested 
than usual in the new choice varieties. He, how- 
ever, is not very demonstrative, and it takes some- 
thing more than is seen every day to wake him up, 
though he has been interested in our place for a great 
many years, and has given me a great deal of valu- 
able advice. 

When this diary was commenced, many years 
268 



ago, it was supposed to be confined to horticultural 
subjects, but now it seems to be expected that all 
interesting family affairs should be also included. 
Of course in a large family of young folks like ours, 
with lots of charming young girls, one must be at all 
times prepared for some startling event, so no one I 
believe fainted on hearing of the engagement of one 
of the members, even if she was one of the youngest. 
Somehow or other the impression was very general 
that she would not wait for those who were many 
years older to set her the example, and there was not 
great surprise expressed on hearing of the engage- 
ment of the young dashing damsel called Margaret, 
who had disturbed the minds of a dozen Harvard 
boys; but they did congratulate the young man who 
had been so fortunate as to gain her heart [George 
B. Blake]. I must add that this peculiar malady 
with young folks is often catching, and we shall, 
therefore, be on the qui vive for more sensational 
news in due time. 

June 30. Extremely hot weather continues; thermom- 
eter up to 96\ Sorry we are not up at Bethlehem. 
Hope to get there on the third. 

July 2. Such hot weather as we are still experiencing 
seldom occurs so early in the summer, and causes 
great distress among those whose work exposes 
them to the sun, and especially to invalids. It is 
unfortunate I did not decide to go up to the moun- 
tains a few days sooner and so have avoided the dis- 
comforts of this unusual heat, which, however, could 
hardly have been anticipated; still it will be safer 
hereafter to leave about the 25th of June. 

269 



July 8. Have been here at Bethlehem since the 3d inst., 
but have not felt very well, though the weather has 
been very comfortable. 

July 15. Henry's wife, Mamy, left me this morning 
after a very pleasant week's visit, which I enjoyed 
much. Drove her over to Littleton, where she took 
the cars for Boston. Thermometer 90°. 

July 20. Son Frank arrived this morning, a week later 
than usual. He has been detained in the city, try- 
ing to raise the modest sum of one hundred thousand 
dollars for his church, — a most worthy work, cer- 
tainly. It seems, however, to some of us old-fash- 
ioned folks to be a big sum for the support of one 
person, even a bishop, but the donors, no doubt, take 
a different view entirely of it, and may deem it bene- 
ficial in promoting the spiritual welfare of the com- 
munity and the church. 

July 27. When, a year ago at this time, I had reached 
the great age of ninety years, I noted the fact in this 
journal, and I little thought then that my life would 
be prolonged still another year! But such is the 
fact, to my surprise as well as to that of many of my 
friends, enabling me to make the record once more 
that another year has been added to my already long 
span of life, and that I have attained the unusual 
age of ninety-one years, for which I am truly most 
. grateful. That my visits up here for many years 
past in midsummer have been most beneficial to my 
health is very certain, especially since I have re- 
mained most of the months of July and August, first 
in the Maplewood cottages, and for the last five 
years in Mr. [W. M.] Sayer, jr.'s, at Bethlehem, 

270 



which, though small and modest, I have found com- 
fortable and well suited to the requirements of an 
aged individual like myself. 1 am fully convinced 
from my experience that the dry bracing mountain 
air agrees with me decidedly better than the salt air 
and east wind of the sea-shore in my old age, which 
otherwise, no doubt, possesses many great advan- 
tages. 

Although I have not been so highly favored on 
this occasion as the last year, when 1 had several 
visitors from home, and this year only son Frank, 
still the day has been a happy and enjoyable one for 
me, if a quiet one. Numerous letters and telegrams 
with friendly congratulations have been received, 
also a cable message from John and his wife in 
Paris, and our little cottage has been very prettily 
decorated with flowers from Wellesley and our 
neighbors', giving it a happy and cheerful appear- 
ance. 

Aug. 7. I have been favored lately with visits from sev- 
eral members of our family. First, Arthur's daugh- 
ter, Jeanie, passed a week with me, which I enjoyed 
much, and then her sister Margaret and mother 
came to the Maplewood Hotel to pass a couple of 
weeks with the young man referred to on June 21, 
who is to become, one of these days, a member of 
our family. We have likewise been favored with 
an unexpected call from our friends, Mr. and Mrs. 
C. Head and daughters, who stopped here on their 
way to the sea-shore from the lake. 

Aug. 31. Our season at the mountains is once more 
drawing to a close, and we now count nine seasons 
of cottage life here, which have certainly added 

271 



much to my comfort and general health in my old 
age. It has not, perhaps, as many attractions for 
young folks as the sea-shore, which is constantly in- 
creasing in favor, our whole coast being crowded 
with them. It is a great change from fifty years 
ago, when little Nahant contained them all. 

Walter with three of his family, Walter, jr., Ar- 
nold, and Louisa, are with me, making it very pleas- 
ant for me, and giving the visitors to Bethlehem an 
opportunity to admire a young Wellesley girl. 

Sept. 4. Preparing to leave for Wellesley to-morrow. 
Arnold busy packing four pairs of trousers. 

Sept. 5. Returned home from Bethlehem with Walter 
and family in President [Lucius] Tuttle's car, the 
first time I ever had the honor of riding in such a 
car. Found it exceedingly comfortable for an 
elderly individual, though little Arnold enjoyed it 
the most. Thermometer in the cars, 9 1° . 

Sept. 10. Last year, when I returned from the moun- 
tains, I found the place suffering badly from one of 
the worst droughts I thought we had experienced for 
many years. This year, I am pleased to say, it is 
just the reverse, everything being in splendid con- 
dition, and the same has been the case, Hatfield tells 
me, during all my two months' absence. The foliage 
of all the trees has a dark, healthy green, and the Jap- 
anese retinosporas, particularly, are looking finely. 

Sept. 11. I am enjoying a visit from my granddaugh- 
ter Charlotte, who has come all the way from New- 
port to see her aged grandpa, which is most gratify- 
ing to him. 

272 



The assassination, by a vile anarchist, of our 
President McKinley is causing profound grief and 
consternation throughout the whole country, and 
eighty-seven millions of our people are mourn- 
ing their great loss. But the excitement must 
naturally diminish in time, and the world move on 
as before. 

A disease, affecting our white pine trees, has been 
noticed for several years, causing a good deal of 
anxiety, we having a large number on the place. 
The needles turn brown, and are very unsightly. 
We were ignorant, until this present season, of the 
cause, but there can be no doubt now that it has been 
occasioned by the dr>' weather of several consecutive 
summers. We have had rain, not only a consider- 
able quantity, but it has been coming at regular in- 
tervals, so the ground has not any time been dry at 
any moment. We see plainly the result in the very 
dense and healthy foliage of all our trees and par- 
ticularly the pines, the needles of which are dark 
and compare very favorably with those at Bethle- 
hem. 

Sept. 25. We have been having pretty warm weather 
ever since we returned home, especially the last few 
days. This has affected me unfavorably, and I have 
sometimes thought it would have been better for me 
to have remained up in the mountains a couple of 
weeks longer. Taking in aloes, etc. 

Oct. 14. We have had a spell of very fine weather, 
though mild for the season. My friends, Professor 
[C. S.] Sargent and wife, passed the day with me 
yesterday, which I enjoyed much, as usual. 

273 



Oct. 22. Continued pleasant weather, considerably 
milder than usual, with only very light frosts indeed 
for so late in the season. Having had no summer 
or autumn droughts this year, the foliage of the 
trees has been exceptionally fine and much admired. 
Have been engaged for several weeks past in cut- 
ting down several large trees which had been planted 
too near together, a work which requires a great deal 
of courage, and there seems to be no end to it on a 
large place, for I have been occupied with it for the 
past twenty years! Professor Sargent thinks I 
have a great deal more to do. 

Oct. 25. No severe frosts until the last few nights, and 
continued mild weather. That it is the finest autumn 
we have had for several years is very certain. 

Am enclosing our front-door porch with glass, 
which makes the hall more comfortable in very cold 
weather. 

Nov. 10. Continued mild and pleasant weather is the 
subject of frequent remarks, such as, "What won- 
derful weather!" "Did you ever see anything like 
it?" etc., etc. It is colder, however, to-day; ther- 
mometer 25°, with a very strong northwest wind. 

Nov. 15. A beautiful autumn morning that may add a 
few hours to the many happy days which I have 
been permitted to pass, by the love of the Lord, my 
Creator, on this fair land, surrounded by my dear 
children and blessings without number! 

Nov. 28. Thanksgiving day. 

Ninety-one years and four months old yesterday, 
and able to move about the house more than is usual 

274 



by the few whose lives have been spared to such an 
advanced age as mine, for which 1 cannot be too 
thankful to my Creator. It is one of the few 
Thanksgiving days for many years past which we 
have not observed by a family gathering, but I am 
too feeble for that this year. We have, however, 
never considered it like Christmas day, which we 
have celebrated as the most important event in the 
way of the annual gatherings of our large family. 
It was on Christmas eve, 1835, that we were married 
in Paris, where we passed three years most happily, 
and where we had reason to expect to reside for a 
great many more, but business considerations for- 
tunately changed all our plans. 
Dec. 3. Favorable weather and an abundance of the 
doctor's stimulants have enabled me to take frequent 
drives a few days more, but it is hardly possible to 
struggle against old age and infirmities much longer, 
and may the Lord's will be done. Farewell, my 
dearly beloved children! 

Mr. Hunnewell died at one o'clock on Tuesday, 
May 20, 1902, aged ninety-one years, nine months, 
and twenty-three days. 

The following records of extraordinary tempera- 
tures in Wellesley, taken from Mr. Hunnewell's 
Diary, are of interest as a record to refer to: 



1854 


Aug. 




Driest August since 1828 


1857 


Jan. 


24 


23 below zero 


1862 


Nov. 


7 


4 to 5 inches of snow 


1870 


Nov. 


30 


275 



1876 


Oct. 


15 


Inch of snow 


1878 


Oct. 


19 


77° 


1879 


Oct. 


26 


18° 


1881 


Sept. 


7 


92° 


1884 


Dec. 


20 


16° below zero 


1885 


April 


21 


81° 


1886 


July 


7 


95° 


1888 


March 


13 


Blizzard 


1889 


Feb. 


2 


Pond frozen over a little, 
not enough to bear 




Dec. 


25 


65° 


1890 


Feb. 


20 


First sleighing 


1891 


Oct. 


23 


2 to 3 inches of snow 


1892 


April 


3 


77° 


1894 


April 


9 


6 inches of snow increased to 




April 


12 


16 inches 


1895 


Sept. 


23 


87° 


1896 


April 


19 


For past ten days 75° to 
83° 




May 


10 


90° 


1898 


Nov. 


27 


10 to 12 inches of snow 


1900 


Feb. 


16 


First snow 




May 


12 


Severe frost 


1901 


June 


30 


96° 



7^ 



276 



% 

#• 



.-^' 






'^^. v^ 



^ii 









""""" 



